Workers and soldiers are working overtime to repair damaged roads linking places most in need of help. Numerous landslides triggered by the quake have blocked access for urgently needed supplies and rescue workers. Now some roads have reopened.

Workers and soldiers are working overtime to repair damaged roads linking places most in need of help. (CCTV.com)

After the road from Lixian County to Wenchuan County was cleared, roads into the quake-hit Yingxiu Town were also cleared on Saturday afternoon opening up a vital lifeline to survivors.

Rescuers and relief supplies are now finally able to reach disaster areas.

There has also been good progress made in rebuilding roads in the northern part of the disaster zone. The road from Heishui to Maoxian County is almost clear, but there are still six more kilometers to go.

Roads from Beichuan County to Maoxian have still been blocked by a landslide.

But other roads to the worst-hit counties -- Wenchuan, Beichuan, Qingchuan, Pingwu, Maoxian and Lixian have all been reopened to traffic.

Sichuan Province is a very mountainous area. The earthquake and aftershocks have triggered many huge landslides.

Many roads, bridges and tunnels were badly damaged, creating great difficulties for road repair work.

Due to the blocking of roads, rescue workers and medical teams were unable to reach some areas immediately after the quake. And more than five-thousand rescuers who trekked into the disaster areas face a lack of food and water supplies.

(CCTV May 18, 2008)