First rescuers reach isolated SW China county after strong earthquake

LUSHAN, Sichuan, April 21 (Xinhua) -- First rescuers have reached an isolated county in southwest China's Sichuan Province hit by Saturday's strong earthquake, said the police sources here Sunday.

The detailed situation in Baoxing County of Ya'an in Sichuan, badly hit by the earthquake, was not clear due to poor quality of communication between the field rescuers and headquarters, said the rescue headquarters of the Ministry of Public Security in Lushan.

Rescuers, mainly made up of firemen, hiked into the county where communication and transportation were seriously affected, the police source said.

More than 870 rescuers have been sent there but part of them been stranded on the way, while another team of rescuers are trying to reach the county by boat, the source said.

A total of 164 people have been confirmed dead in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake so far, according to the China Earthquake Administration.