China ramped up its response to an earthquake on Thursday, that killed 20 people and injured hundreds, by sending supplies and personnel into the mountainous zone as rescuers fanned out to search for more victims.

Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination near the epicentre of Tuesday night&#39;s 6.5-magnitude quake, reportedly saw dozens of relief and military trucks rolling through the remote corner of Sichuan province.

Locals took refuge in blue relief tents in several makeshift camps or out on streets in towns as more than a thousand aftershocks jolted the region and landslides kept nerves on edge.

Jiuzhaigou is an area populated largely by ethnic Tibetans and Qiang people. Its scenic landscape is popular with mainly Chinese tourists who flock to its national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.&nbsp;

Nearly 60,000 people -- around half of which were tourists -- were evacuated from quake-hit towns and villages on Wednesday.

Authorities were seeking to help more victims on Thursday, with the Sichuan provincial fire department saying 16 tourists were stranded in a picturesque spot called Panda Sea.

More than 500 medical staff have been dispatched to the disaster zone, provincial official Qumushiha said at a press conference Thursday evening.

Authorities have said thousands of response personnel were sent into the area, as rescue workers search for at least four people still missing.

Yang Yongzhi was among a search team in red jumpsuits and hardhats who were forced by landslides to turn back on Wednesday night after trying to press into cut-off valleys.

&quot;We&#39;re responsible for finding if there are still people trapped over there. We&#39;re the first to go check,&quot; Yang said as the team prepared to make another attempt at reaching the isolated area.

The tremor evoked memories of a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake in the region in 2008 that left 87,000 people dead or missing, but the impact of Tuesday&#39;s disaster was comparatively light.

Authorities brought the death toll up to 20 on Thursday afternoon, with 431 injured, 34 critically. A Frenchman and a Canadian woman were among those hurt.

The quake tore cracks in mountain highways and cars were reportedly smashed by giant falling boulders.

Some buildings in towns bore cracks, but few structures appeared to have sustained heavy damage.

Provincial fire authorities reported that one Jiuzhaigou hotel partially collapsed and the body of a woman was pulled out of the rubble on Thursday morning.

It was not known if others were still buried. &nbsp;&nbsp;

So far, 200 million yuan, which is about $30 million, in government relief funds has been allocated for quake relief, according to authorities.

The government of Aba prefecture, where Jiuzhaigou is located, issued an appeal for donations.

Authorities said 1,680 private homes across Jiuzhaigou&#39;s 17 townships suffered varying degrees of damage.

The local government said it had repaired 129 telecommunication towers or other installations that were damaged by the quake, restoring communications with much of the affected area.

President Xi Jinping had called earlier for &quot;all-out efforts to rapidly organise relief work and rescue the injured&quot; in the Sichuan quake.

Authorities brought the death toll up to 20 on Thursday afternoon, with 431 injured, 34 critically

China ramped up its response to an earthquake on Thursday, that killed 20 people and injured hundreds, by sending supplies and personnel into the mountainous zone as rescuers fanned out to search for more victims. Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination near the epicentre of Tuesday night's 6.5-magnitude quake, reportedly saw dozens of relief and military trucks rolling through the remote corner of Sichuan province. Locals took refuge in blue relief tents in several makeshift camps or out on streets in towns as more than a thousand aftershocks jolted the region and landslides kept nerves on edge. Jiuzhaigou is an area populated largely by ethnic Tibetans and Qiang people. Its scenic landscape is popular with mainly Chinese tourists who flock to its national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearly 60,000 people -- around half of which were tourists -- were evacuated from quake-hit towns and villages on Wednesday. Authorities were seeking to help more victims on Thursday, with the Sichuan provincial fire department saying 16 tourists were stranded in a picturesque spot called Panda Sea. More than 500 medical staff have been dispatched to the disaster zone, provincial official Qumushiha said at a press conference Thursday evening. Authorities have said thousands of response personnel were sent into the area, as rescue workers search for at least four people still missing. Yang Yongzhi was among a search team in red jumpsuits and hardhats who were forced by landslides to turn back on Wednesday night after trying to press into cut-off valleys. "We're responsible for finding if there are still people trapped over there. We're the first to go check," Yang said as the team prepared to make another attempt at reaching the isolated area. The tremor evoked memories of a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake in the region in 2008 that left 87,000 people dead or missing, but the impact of Tuesday's disaster was comparatively light. Authorities brought the death toll up to 20 on Thursday afternoon, with 431 injured, 34 critically. A Frenchman and a Canadian woman were among those hurt. The quake tore cracks in mountain highways and cars were reportedly smashed by giant falling boulders. Some buildings in towns bore cracks, but few structures appeared to have sustained heavy damage. Provincial fire authorities reported that one Jiuzhaigou hotel partially collapsed and the body of a woman was pulled out of the rubble on Thursday morning. It was not known if others were still buried. So far, 200 million yuan, which is about $30 million, in government relief funds has been allocated for quake relief, according to authorities. The government of Aba prefecture, where Jiuzhaigou is located, issued an appeal for donations. Authorities said 1,680 private homes across Jiuzhaigou's 17 townships suffered varying degrees of damage. The local government said it had repaired 129 telecommunication towers or other installations that were damaged by the quake, restoring communications with much of the affected area. President Xi Jinping had called earlier for "all-out efforts to rapidly organise relief work and rescue the injured" in the Sichuan quake.

China combs through quake region for victims

China evacuated nearly 60,000 people after a 6.5 magnitude <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/up-to-100-feared-dead-thousands-injured-in-china-quake-govt-18728">earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part of China&#39;s southwestern province </a>of Sichuan killing at least 19 people on Wednesday.

A second earthquake rocked western China on Wednesday, this time registering a magnitude 6.6. in a remote area of Xinjiang, Reuters reported.

The People&#39;s Daily said 32 people had been injured in the mostly rural area. The quake&#39;s epicentre was in Jinghe, about 100 km from the border with Kazakhstan, where about 140,000 people live, according to Xinhua.

Meanwhile, the provincial government told AFP that most of the tourists including locals were evacuated even as aftershocks continued to disrupt&nbsp;Sichuan province.

Several buildings were damaged in the quake&#39;s epicentre in Aba prefecture with China&#39;s state-run news agency Xinhua adding&nbsp;more than 30,000 people were evacuated from Jiuzhaigou alone.&nbsp;

President Xi Jinping has called for &quot;all-out efforts&quot; as China pressed the Army and relief workers to rescue people stuck in the quake. China&#39;s official earthquake monitoring agency said more than 1,000 aftershocks had been reported, the most powerful reaching 4.8 magnitude&nbsp;on the Richter&nbsp;Scale.

The quake injured at least &nbsp;263 people with several still missing. Relief agencies - the Red Cross Society of China and Save the Children - have been mobilising teams to rescue people with several highways and roads still blocked along the disaster-hit region.

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A second earthquake rocked western China, this time registering a magnitude 6.6. in a remote area of Xinjiang

China evacuated nearly 60,000 people after a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part of China's southwestern province of Sichuan killing at least 19 people on Wednesday. A second earthquake rocked western China on Wednesday, this time registering a magnitude 6.6. in a remote area of Xinjiang, Reuters reported. The People's Daily said 32 people had been injured in the mostly rural area. The quake's epicentre was in Jinghe, about 100 km from the border with Kazakhstan, where about 140,000 people live, according to Xinhua. Meanwhile, the provincial government told AFP that most of the tourists including locals were evacuated even as aftershocks continued to disrupt Sichuan province. Several buildings were damaged in the quake's epicentre in Aba prefecture with China's state-run news agency Xinhua adding more than 30,000 people were evacuated from Jiuzhaigou alone. President Xi Jinping has called for "all-out efforts" as China pressed the Army and relief workers to rescue people stuck in the quake. China's official earthquake monitoring agency said more than 1,000 aftershocks had been reported, the most powerful reaching 4.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale. The quake injured at least 263 people with several still missing. Relief agencies - the Red Cross Society of China and Save the Children - have been mobilising teams to rescue people with several highways and roads still blocked along the disaster-hit region.

Rescue operations underway as another earthquake hits western China

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part of China&#39;s southwestern province of Sichuan, killing 19 people, including six tourists, and injuring 247, the provincial government and official media said on Wednesday.

The quake hit a sparsely populated area 200 km (120 miles) northwest of the city of Guangyuan late on Tuesday at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was also close to the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve, a tourist destination.

Sichuan is frequently struck by tremors. A huge quake there in May 2008 killed almost 70,000 people.

A separate quake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck a remote part of China&#39;s far northwestern region of Xinjiang, more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles) away, on Wednesday morning, the Chinese earthquake administration said. The People&#39;s Daily said 32 people had been injured in the mostly rural area.

The Sichuan government said rescuers were gradually evacuating tourists and residents who had been cut off by landslides.

Six tourists were among those killed, according to the official China News Service.

State television said 19 people had been killed, and that most of those injured were not seriously hurt.

The Sichuan government said that as many as 30,000 tourists had been evacuated from the quake zone, leading to traffic jams on the narrow roads.

A few dozen tourists were camped out at Jiuzhaigou airport, waiting for flights. The airport was open and beginning to evacuate people by air, state media said.

A traveller with a young daughter who gave his family name as Li said he was in his hotel when the earthquake hit.

&quot;The walls and floor shook. Some things fell off the table,&quot; he said.

Some people were injured in the hotel but most were fine.

&quot;The rescue services showed up quickly and gave us water and things to eat,&quot; Li said.

He was given priority to be evacuated as he was with a small child. &quot;At first the road was blocked but they had cleared a lane this morning for ambulances.&quot;

A French man and a Canadian woman suffered light injuries, Xinhua reported.

The Sichuan government said earlier fears that part of a hotel had collapsed were overblown, with only relatively minor damage and everyone evacuated safely.

The Sichuan earthquake administration, which also measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.0, said the epicentre of the tremor was in Ngawa prefecture, which is largely populated by ethnic Tibetans, many of whom are nomadic herders.

The area was rattled by a number of aftershocks on Wednesday.

Pictures on state-run social media sites showed some damage in Jiuzhaigou, with tiles having fallen from buildings and people gathering outdoors.

State television said electricity had now largely been restored to the affected areas and the military was also sending rescuers to help with relief efforts.

The Sichuan government said on one of its official social media sites that more than 38,000 tourists were currently visiting Jiuzhaigou.

Shaking was felt in the provincial capital, Chengdu, and as far away as Xian, home of the famous terracotta warrior figures, according to the government.

The Xinjiang quake&#39;s epicentre was in Jinghe county, about 100 km (60 miles) from the border with Kazakhstan, where about 140,000 people live, according to Xinhua.

Residents several hundred kilometres away in Urumqi, and the cities of Karamay and Yining, felt strong tremors, Xinhua said. The jolt lasted about 20 seconds, it said.

The quake hit a sparsely populated area 200 km (120 miles) west-northwest of the city of Guangyuan on Tuesday evening at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), the US Geological Survey said

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part of China's southwestern province of Sichuan, killing 19 people, including six tourists, and injuring 247, the provincial government and official media said on Wednesday. The quake hit a sparsely populated area 200 km (120 miles) northwest of the city of Guangyuan late on Tuesday at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was also close to the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve, a tourist destination. Sichuan is frequently struck by tremors. A huge quake there in May 2008 killed almost 70,000 people. A separate quake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck a remote part of China's far northwestern region of Xinjiang, more than 2,000 km (1,240 miles) away, on Wednesday morning, the Chinese earthquake administration said. The People's Daily said 32 people had been injured in the mostly rural area. The Sichuan government said rescuers were gradually evacuating tourists and residents who had been cut off by landslides. Six tourists were among those killed, according to the official China News Service. State television said 19 people had been killed, and that most of those injured were not seriously hurt. The Sichuan government said that as many as 30,000 tourists had been evacuated from the quake zone, leading to traffic jams on the narrow roads. A few dozen tourists were camped out at Jiuzhaigou airport, waiting for flights. The airport was open and beginning to evacuate people by air, state media said. A traveller with a young daughter who gave his family name as Li said he was in his hotel when the earthquake hit. "The walls and floor shook. Some things fell off the table," he said. Some people were injured in the hotel but most were fine. "The rescue services showed up quickly and gave us water and things to eat," Li said. He was given priority to be evacuated as he was with a small child. "At first the road was blocked but they had cleared a lane this morning for ambulances." A French man and a Canadian woman suffered light injuries, Xinhua reported. The Sichuan government said earlier fears that part of a hotel had collapsed were overblown, with only relatively minor damage and everyone evacuated safely. The Sichuan earthquake administration, which also measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.0, said the epicentre of the tremor was in Ngawa prefecture, which is largely populated by ethnic Tibetans, many of whom are nomadic herders. The area was rattled by a number of aftershocks on Wednesday. Pictures on state-run social media sites showed some damage in Jiuzhaigou, with tiles having fallen from buildings and people gathering outdoors. State television said electricity had now largely been restored to the affected areas and the military was also sending rescuers to help with relief efforts. The Sichuan government said on one of its official social media sites that more than 38,000 tourists were currently visiting Jiuzhaigou. Shaking was felt in the provincial capital, Chengdu, and as far away as Xian, home of the famous terracotta warrior figures, according to the government. The Xinjiang quake's epicentre was in Jinghe county, about 100 km (60 miles) from the border with Kazakhstan, where about 140,000 people live, according to Xinhua. Residents several hundred kilometres away in Urumqi, and the cities of Karamay and Yining, felt strong tremors, Xinhua said. The jolt lasted about 20 seconds, it said.

Quake in China's Sichuan kills 19, injures 247