Rescue workers in the Chinese province of Sichuan scrambled to evacuate and assist thousands of victims of Monday's 6.8-magnitude Luding county earthquake, which has left at least 66 people dead and 253 others injured, according to the latest official Chinese figures.

President Xi Jinping's call for "all-out relief efforts ... prioritizing saving lives and minimizing casualties" featured prominently on the front pages of state-controlled media outlets on Tuesday. A resident of Moxi township, not far from the epicenter that was measured at 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the provincial capital Chengdu, said the epicenter was in the Hailuogou scenic tourist region just a few kilometers outside the town.

"Basically, a lot of people were crushed under [collapsed] houses in their own homes; most of the deaths and casualties were crushed under houses," the resident, who gave only the surname Li, told RFA earlier on Tuesday. "The official announcement is that 29 people died in Kardze prefecture, with a total number of 46 deaths, including deaths in Shimian county and villages around the Hailuogou area," Li said at the time. "For example, some people were trapped under landslides when they were walking along the road."

Video: Reuters

Subscribe to our channel: http://youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=RFAvideo

More from RFA : https://www.rfa.org

Follow RFA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RFAEnglish
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RadioFreeAsia

About RFA: Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit, multimedia corporation, bringing award-winning, domestic journalism and uncensored content to people in six Asian countries that restrict free speech, freedom of the press, and access to reliable information beyond their borders. For more information, please visit http://www.rfa.org/about/