China Quake Death Toll Likely Tens of Thousands

China's most devastating earthquake in three decades killed more than 12,000 people with the toll likely to soar after state media said on Tuesday nearly 19,000 were buried under rubble in one city alone.

Storms were hampering rescue efforts in the mountainous area around the epicenter of Monday's 7.9 magnitude quake that pummeled the southwestern province of Sichuan.

State media reported scenes of devastation as a small contingent of officials arrived in villages near the epicenter at Wenchuan, a remote county cut off by landslides about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of provincial capital Chengdu.

In Yingxiu, a town of 12,000 people, only 2,000 had been found alive, state television quoted official He Biao as saying.

"They could hear people under the debris calling for help, but no one could, because there were no professional rescue teams," He said.

About 60,000 people were unaccounted for.

"What we most need is medicine. There is no medicine, there are no doctors and after such a long time, no food," He said.

More than 12,000 people have died in Sichuan and more than 26,000 were injured, according to vice governor Li Chengyun. More than 3.46 million "rooms" had been damaged.

Another 18,645 people were also buried under debris in the city of Mianyang, neighboring Wenchuan, Xinhua news agency said, suggesting the death toll was likely to rise sharply.

Thousands were reported buried under factories, schools and other buildings elsewhere. Hundreds more have died in neighboring provinces.

CONTINUED : New Fear: Dams Bursting

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