Chinese army airdrops disaster relief goods to Wenchuan _English

Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

A helicopter with relief supplies Wednesday morning arrives at the Yingxiu Town of Wenchuan County, the epicenter of Monday's earthquake that jolted southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua Photo)
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BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China will airdrop cell phone equipment into Wenchuan County, the epicenter of Monday's 7.8-magnitude quake, on Thursday morning to restore communications.

A small base station will be installed by then, military sources said without elaboration.

Seven People's Liberation Army (PLA) helicopters had delivered 12.8 tonnes of disaster relief goods to Wenchuan and its neighboring counties as of 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The goods included satellite communication systems, medicine and quilts.

According to the Chengdu Military Area Command, the first two helicopters airdropped food, drinking water and medicine to Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County at Wednesday noon.

The helicopters also carried 47 injured people to hospitals, military sources said.

An army unit equipped with mobile phones was helicoptered into Wenchuan, which has been cut off, the military sources said.

China planned to parachute troops and supplies into Wenchuan on Tuesday but cancelled the operation because of thunderstorms and heavy rain.

The death toll from Monday's major earthquake in Sichuan has topped 12,000 so far.

800 armed police start rescue operation in quake-hit SW China

BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- By 8 a.m. Wednesday, more than 800 armed police had arrived at Wenchuan and started rescue operation in southwest China's Sichuan Province that was hit by a massive earthquake Monday afternoon.

Wednesday morning, two helicopters with relief supplies flied over the Yingxiu Town of Wenchuan County and three more are standing by to await orders at the Fenghuanshang airport, according to the Chengdu Military Command. Full story

Chinese army airdrops disaster relief goods to Wenchuan

BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- As of 12 a.m. Wednesday, two helicopters of the Chinese Liberation Army (PLA) has airdropped food, drinking water and medicine to the quake-hit Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County, epicenter of Monday quake measuring 7.8 on Richter scale in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Three more helicopters carrying disaster relief goods are also en route to Yingxiu. Full story

Troops, Xinhua staff arrive at township worst hit by quake

YINGXIU TOWNSHIP, Sichuan, May 14 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 soldiers have arrived at Yingxiu township, one of the worst-hit areas near the epicenter of Monday's deadly earthquake that killed more than 12,000 people.

They are engaged in search and rescue work. Full story

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