Russia sends new aid to China's quake-hit region

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-19 17:24

MOSCOW -- A plane of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry delivered new humanitarian aid to southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Itar-Tass news agency reported Thursday.

"An Il-76 transport plane arrived in the city of Chengdu -- administrative center of the province of Sichuan -- at 08:07 Moscow time (0407GMT) on Thursday," a representative of the ministry's information department was quoted as saying.

The plane carried 30 tons of tents and blankets to the quake-stricken area. The ministry has so far sent nearly 300 tons of humanitarian aid, mainly tents, blankets, generators and foodstuffs, to Sichuan Province. Russian rescue and medical teams also worked in the region to render aid to earthquake victims.

An 8-magnitude quake rocked China's southwestern province of Sichuan on May 12. The death toll of the devastating earthquake reached 69,180 as of Thursday noon.