Monday's earthquake has taken at least 2,000 lives in Mianzhu city in southwest China's Sichuan Province, and more than 10,000 people were injured, local authorities said Tuesday.

Incomplete figures indicate an additional 4,800 people remain buried in the debris in the city proper, and more than 20,000 people in the three outer villages were still out of reach, the local disaster relief headquarters said.

Rescuers have had difficulty in accessing these villages, where roads are cut off and flood risks may cause further havoc.

Mianzhu is close to the epicenter of the quake in Wenchuan County, with its Hanwang Township just 30 km from Wenchuan.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2008)