Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday promised orphan students in the quake-hit Yushu new homes and schools while rescuers continue to battle altitude sickness in search of survivors.

A woman collects her belongs in Gyegu Town, the quake-hit Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, in northwest China's Qinghai Province, April 17, 2010. The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Yushu of Qinghai Province, left 1,484 dead and 312 still missing, and about 100,000 people were relocated.

"There will be new homes! There will be new schools!" the president, who arrived in Yushu to inspect relief work one day after returning from a shortened overseas visit, wrote in chalk on the blackboard of a makeshift classroom.

The 7.1-magnitude quake which struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu Wednesday morning has left at least 1,706 dead, 256 missing and 12,128 injured, as of 10 a.m. Sunday.

"The top priority is to rescue those still buried alive and treat those injured. Each life must be cherished," Hu said.

By Sunday morning, rescuers in the quake-hit Yushu Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province had saved 17,000 lives after Wednesday's 7.1-magnitude earthquake.

More than 15,000 rescuers - including over 11,000 People's Liberation Army troops and armed police, 2,800 firefighters and special police forces, and 1,500 earthquake and mine accident rescue specialists - are still searching for quake survivors in Yushu.

Most quake-affected people in Yushu have settled in tents and have been provided with food, clean water and other basic needs, Zou Ming, director of disaster relief department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs said at a press conference held Sunday.

Some 25,000 tents, 52,000 quilts, 16,000 cotton-padded coats and 850 tonnes of instant food and drinking water have arrived in the quake zone. Another 18,950 cotton-padded tents are on the way.