The first rescuers reached the epicentre of the earthquake that devastated southwest China, nearly 24 hours after the disaster struck, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some 1,300 rescue and relief troops arrived in Wenchuan county of China's Sichuan province, an area that had been completely cut off from road and telephone contact due to damage from the quake.

Some 10,000 are estimated to have died in the disaster, and the death toll could climb further as rescuers reach more destroyed areas.