BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday 18,645 people were buried under debris in the city of Mianyang, neighbouring Wenchuan county, the epicentre of Monday's devastating earthquake. Some 3,629 people had been confirmed dead.

The death toll from China's most devastating earthquake in three decades has jumped to more than 12,000, a top disaster relief official said on Tuesday, as storms hampered rescuers in the most devastated areas.

(Reporting by Nick Macfie; Editing by Ian Ransom)