BEIJING - China's military Wednesday began dropping relief supplies into a devastated area near the epicentre of a massive earthquake, state media quoted a top military official saying.

"Two helicopters from the Chengdu Military Region have already begun dropping food into the earthquake-affected area of Yingxiu town," Lieutenant General Li Shiming was quoted saying on Internet portal sohu.com.

Li, commander of the People's Liberation Army's Chengdu region, also said the military planned at least 20 airdrops for the day.

Yingxiu is located in Sichuan province's Wenchuan county, the epicentre of the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that devastated wide swathes of southwestern China on Monday.

China had planned to parachute troops and supplies into the region on Tuesday but called that off, citing thunderstorms and heavy rain, in a major blow for relief efforts.

State television said more rain was expected to continue in the disaster area during the week but would ease up on Wednesday.

The bad weather as well as heavy damage to roads and other infrastructure has complicated efforts to reach those buried under collapsed structures in communities near the epicentre.

More than 12,000 people have been killed in Sichuan province, but the figures are expected to soar as a clearer picture emerges. - AFP/vm