Chinese President Hu Jintao has voiced his gratitude for the international aid following Monday's massive earthquake.

"I express heartfelt thanks to the foreign governments and international friends," Mr Hu was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Offers of help in the relief effort from home and abroad have now surpassed $860m (£440m), Chinese officials say.

The final death toll following the 7.9-magnitude quake is expected to reach at least 50,000 people, Chinese officials estimate.

Rescue efforts resumed in Beichuan, after the entire city was evacuated amid fears that it could be engulfed by a river bursting its banks. The city - that lies near the epicentre of the quake - was reduced to ruins.

But the search was halted on Saturday as rumours of a flood saw a stampede of people fleeing to higher ground.

Several people were dug out of the rubble on Saturday, including a 31-year-old woman in Deyang city, and a 33-year-old miner in Shifang, both about 124 hours after being buried.

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