Beijing: More than 5,500 people have been rescued from the debris of collapsed buildings since Monday in the wake of a massive earthquake in China's south-western province of Sichuan, the police said Thursday.

More than 50,000 people had been evacuated from the epicenter of Monday's devastating quake. Wenchuan, Sichuan and Gansu Provinces are the worst-hit regions.

The quake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, caused widespread damage across the region. The survivors desperately needed medical help, food and water. According to government estimate, 15,000 people have been killed in the quake.

The road from Dujiangyan city, northwest of the provincial capital Chengdu, to the epicentre, is still blocked by rocks and mudslides.

The armed police and other rescuers had to reach to the epicentre and other affected regions by air, water and even on foot.

On Wednesday, more than 800-armed police had arrived at Wenchuan to start the rescue work.

On Thursday, rescuers had reached to all the 58 counties and towns, jolted by the massive quake.

Source : IANS