Quake survivors in Nanba town, Pingwu county, have lunch near their tents on Friday. [Photo: Xinhua]

In the remote county of Pingwu, the May 12 earthquake has left the mountains scarred and the survivors with tremendous difficulties amid frequent aftershocks, landslides and possible floods from quake lakes.

Two weeks after the quake, it remains extremely difficult for food, tents, medicine and other relief materials to reach this badly hit area, which remains cut off by landslides.

The only link to the outside world is a bumpy and narrow country road.

"If it rains or a big aftershock takes place, it is very likely we will be totally isolated again and more deaths may occur," said Chen Xianhui, head of the Pingwu's rescue headquarters.

With the main road cut off, locals are largely dependent on airdrops of food and water in this county where at least 5,000 have been confirmed dead and thousands remain missing.

Led by local people, thousands of soldiers are risking their lives, climbing the steep mountains to search for villagers who fled to the deep forests to escape death

"Hidden in the forests, some were even eating leaves when we found them," Captain Huang Bo, told China Daily. Huang and his troops have rescued about 1,000 villagers in deep mountains near the town of Shuiguan.