Beijing  - At least 37 tourists died after their coach was buried by a landslide and another group of about 15 British tourists was reported missing following the earthquake that devastated south-western China's Sichuan province, state media said on Tuesday.

The provincial emergency centre said some 2,000 tourists were stranded in Sichuan's Aba prefecture, the official Xinhua news agency said, but it was not clear if that figure included both Chinese and foreign nationals.

The landslide that killed 37 tourists occurred in Aba's Maoxian county after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday, the agency said without giving the nationality or other details of the victims.

The British group was believed to have travelled to the Wolong area of Sichuan's Wenchuan county, which is famous for its giant panda breeding centre.

Tens of thousands of people remained cut off in Wenchuan and other areas of Aba early Tuesday, as troops continued efforts to reach towns and villages near the epicentre of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 9,000 people. (dpa)