Hanoi (VNA) – China allocated an additional 250 million yuan in relief for quake-hit areas in the country’s southwest Sichuan province, raising its disaster relief fund to 1.11 billion yuan.
On the same day, the Chinese Defence Ministry decided to dispatch an extra 30,000 soldiers to join disaster relief efforts in the province. Earlier, around 50,000 soldiers, armed police and paramilitary personnel were sent to the quake epicentre.
During a May-14 evening meeting at the national quake relief headquarters, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao ordered the armed forces and civil aviation department to deploy 90 more helicopters for rescue missions in Sichuan.
The death toll caused by the 7.9-magnitude earthquake exceeded 19,500 by 4pm on May 15, China’s Xinhua news agency cited Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun as saying.
Meanwhile, about 65,000 people are injured and tens of thousands people still remain buried under ruins.
The total area affected by the quake has reached 65,000 square kilometres, Xinhua said, adding that 44 districts were destroyed.-Enditem
|
|