Reconstruction of the damaged road to the quake's epicenter, Wenchuan, had progressed to the county border by Thursday noon. Communications cables connecting Wenchuan with other parts of the country were repaired on Thursday afternoon.

The highway linking Beichuan County with Mianyang City was re-opened on Thursday morning, allowing heavy rescue machinery to enter Beichuan. The Sichuan relief center said more than 60,000 injured people had been rescued in quake-damaged areas in the Province as of Thursday morning.

In hard-hit Beichuan County, more than 200 injured were rescued on Wednesday. Relief efforts were slow due to the rugged mountains and heavily damaged roads. Rescuers reached the county Wednesday night. Another strong aftershock jolted Yingxiu Town in Wenchuan County again.

Rocks rolled down from the hills and some heavily damaged houses, still standing after Monday's devastating earthquake, collapsed completely. At least 270 students were confirmed dead by Thursday morning at a middle school in Qingchuan County.

A three-storey dormitory collapsed on about 400 students who were taking an afternoon nap when the earthquake struck. The school has over 850 students. Only 139 students escaped from the dormitory. Rescuers are still searching for those missing.

So far, the death toll in Mianzhu City has risen to 4000. Three towns in the county are still out of reach. Meanwhile, in downtown Mianzhu, thousands of residents spend their nights outdoors, desperately in need of tents, food and water.

(CCTV May 16, 2008)