Rescue efforts continue as 'golden period' ends in Yunnan quake zone

The death toll from the magnitude-6.5 earthquake in Yunnan jumped to 589 yesterday, as the 72-hour "golden period" for finding more people alive lapsed.

Local fire services said rescue work would continue, as reports emerged of the survival of an 88-year-old woman who was buried under rubble in Ludian county for over 50 hours.

Rescuers said she was not hurt and in fine health, Xinhua said.

The death toll shot up from the 410 given on Tuesday after rescue teams reached remote villages that could not be accessed earlier, Xinhua reported.

Priority has now shifted to getting resources to survivors.