Monday's quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m., resulting in more than 8,500 deaths reported so far.

Tremors were also reported in over half of China's provinces and municipalities, the China Seismological Bureau said.

15 British tourists out of reach in Sichuan

A group of "about" 15 British tourists were out of reach on Tuesday morning in Wenchuan, the epicenter of a strong earthquake that struck southwest China Monday, said the Sichuan provincial emergency management office.

A spokesman with the office said more than 2,000 tourists including the British were stranded in the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba as of 8:20 a.m. Tuesday.

He said the British tourists were likely in Wolong, which is known for China Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center.

The spokesman also said a tourist coach was buried by a landslide in Maoxian County, Aba Prefecture, leaving 37 people dead.

Premier Wen Jiabao picks up a shoe and a schoolbag from debris of the Juyuan Middle School building collapsed in the powerful earthquake in Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province May 12, 2008. Nearly 900 students were trapped in collapsed building and at least 50 were confirmed dead. In Sichuan Province, at least 8,533 have died in the quake, with the epicenter in Wenchuan county. [Xinhua]

An earthquake emergency relief team of 180 members from the State Seismological Bureau leaves for quake-stricken Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province from Nanyuan Airport on Monday, May 12, 2008.