Toll estimate 50,000

The death toll from the country's worst earthquake in three decades is estimated at more than 50,000, the rescue headquarters of the State Council said yesterday, as rescuers finished rushed repairs on a quake-damaged road from Lixian county to the epicenter at 9 pm.

The figure was a sharp rise from 20,000 confirmed deaths reported earlier from Monday's 7.8-magnitude quake.

Sichuan Vice-Governor Li Chengyun told a press conference that another 102,000 people were injured.