Doctors, police, firefighters rush to quake zone

BEIJING - A national medical emergency response team consisting of more than 180 doctors, as well as over 2,000 policemen and fire-fighters are rushing to the 7.0-magnitude quake-hit Ya'an City, in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

It is among a number of relief actions being taken by various ministries of the central government.

The medical team was assembled by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and it will take mobile hospitals with them.

The Ministry of Public Security has also dispatched a command team to the ground. The Sichuan provincial police authority has dispatched a rescue team made up of more than 2,000 policemen and firefighters to the epicenter for search and rescue. They will also clear the roads connected the epicenter.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has launched an emergency response, ordering the update of latest weather conditions for the quake-hit region.

The CMA has also ordered close satellite monitoring of the quake-hit region and disaster analysis.

The CMA's National Meteorological Center forecasted that it will mainly be overcast in Lushan, the epicenter, during the next three days. It will rain occasionally with slight winds, and the temperature will between 16 and 23 degree celsius.

A work team comprising of officials from eight ministries has rushed to the epicenter to direct quake-relief work.

The ministries include the Ministry of Civil Affairs, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Land Resources, Ministry of Transport, The National Health and Family Planning Commission and the China Earthquake Administration.