Dramatic moment a massive boulder that blocked bridge after being dislodged

These are the dramatic pictures which show rescuers removing a huge boulder blocking a bridge after it was dislodged by a powerful earthquake this weekend.


At least 192 people were killed and left 23 missing following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in southwest China shortly before 8am on Saturday morning.


More than 11,000 people were also injured in the earthquake, which has forced rescuers to battle to reach remote villages left stranded by the incident.

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Rescuers were forced to blow up a boulder which was blocking a bridge after it was dislodged by the earthquake





The boulder was blocking a bridge on the way to the Baosheng township, in Lushan County, where the earthquake hit on Saturday morning


Rescuers were forced to blow up a huge boulder which had blocked a bridge leading to the Baosheng township, in Lushan County.

The earthquake toppled buildings, triggered landslides and disrupted phone and power connections in the region.

Many people were at home, sleeping or having breakfast, when it struck on Saturday.


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Tens of thousands of people have been forced to move into tents or cars, unable or too afraid to return home as some 1,300 aftershocks continued to jolt the region following the initial earthquake.


The government has mobilised thousands of soldiers and others, sending excavators and other heavy machinery as well as tents, blankets and other emergency supplies.


The Chinese Red Cross said it had deployed relief teams with supplies of food, water, medicine and rescue equipment to the disaster areas.



An old man and his grandson walk past the ruins of their house today in Longmen township of Lushan County





Earthquake survivors walk past the ruins of their house today in Longmen township of Lushan County





Earthquake survivors carry the flag of the Communist Party of China and ride a motorcycle past a collapsed building in the Longmen Township





Survivors gather in a temporary city in a shelter area in Baoxing Country, in China's south western Sichuan province







An earthquake survivor leaves the hospital today in Lushan of Ya'an

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived in Ya'an by helicopter on Saturday afternoon to direct rescue efforts.


'The current priority is to save lives,' Li said, after visiting hospitals and tents, and climbing onto a pile of rubble to view the devastation.


Lushan, where the quake struck, lies where the Sichuan plain meets the foothills which rise to the Tibetan plateau and sits on the Longmenshan fault.




Aerial images show quake damage in China


PARTY TO CELEBRATE BIRTH OF A BABY SAVES VILLAGERS


Dozens of villagers escaped the Chinese earthquake because they were outside at a party celebrating the birth of a baby.


The 100-plus residents were in the central square when the 7 magnitude quake struck, saving them from being buried by collapsing buildings.


Che Wang held the party for her grandchild Lin in Taiping, only a few miles from the epicentre in Ya’an in southern China.


‘It meant we were all outside and safe instead of inside with the buildings collapsing on top of us,’ she said.


One resident added: ‘It’s a miracle that one new life should save so many others.’


Officials said three villagers died in the tremor, despite massive damage to buildings.



Chinese militiamen search for earthquake victims in Baoxing country



Rubble from a collapsed building in Longmen township of Lushan county





Cracks rip through the walls of this building while rubble lies on the floor following the earthquake





A woman finds a pot in the ruins of her house today





Earthquake survivors queue for free food in the rain today in Lushan of Ya'an