Update on May 13

 

With 11,921 confirmed deaths so far, it was the deadliest and strongest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed approximately 250,000 people.

 

On May 12, 2008, China's Health Ministry said that it had sent 10 emergency medical teams to Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province. On the same day, China's Chengdu Military Area Command dispatched 50,000 troops and armed police to help with disaster relief work in Wenchuan County but because of the roughened terrain of the land and due to its close proximity to the quake's epicentre, the soldiers found it very difficult to get help to the rural regions of the province.

The State Disaster Relief Commission initiated a "Level II emergency contingency plan" that covers the most serious class of natural disasters, which rose to Level I at 22:15 May 12 CST.

An earthquake emergency relief team of 184 people (consisting of 12 people from the State Seismological Bureau, 150 from the Beijing Military Area Command, and 22 from the Armed Police General Hospital) left Beijing from Nanyuan Airport late May 12 in two military transport planes to travel to Wenchuan County.

The Red Cross Society of China sent 557 tents and 2,500 quilts valued at 788,000 yuan (113,000 U.S. dollars) to Wenchuan County. The Amity Foundation has already started relief work in the region and has earmarked CNY 1 million for disaster relief.

Many international rescue teams, including that of Taipei City Fire Department, are reported ready to join the rescue in Sichuan. However, the Red Cross Society of China said "it was inconvenient currently".

Due to the persistant heavy rain and landslides at the Wenchuan County and nearby area, rescue progression is badly affected. As of 12:55:21, May 13 2008 CST, the first group consists of 1,300 soldiers and a medical unit have reached Wenchuan County, the epicenter. By 17:37, May 13 2008 CST, a total number of over 15,600 troops and militia reservists from Chengdu Military Region have joined the rescue force in the heavily affected areas. A commander reported from Yingxiu town, Wenchuan that around 3,000 survivors were found, while the status of the rest inhabitants (around 9,000) are still remains unclear.