Relief goods pour into Yunnan quake zone

LUDIAN, Yunnan - Trucks loaded with tents, generators, water and food are pouring into quake-hit areas of Southwest China's Yunnan province as traffic conditions have improved.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, more than 20,000 tents, 13,000 beds, 38,000 boxes of water and 31,000 packs of instant noodles had been distributed to residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged by Sunday's 6.5 magnitude earthquake.

A lot more disaster relief goods have been carried to the zone and are ready to be handed out, according to Duan Liyuan, head of the provincial civil affairs department.

Other daily necessities including quilts, overcoats, rice, oil and porterloos reached residents after being dropped by helicopters or transported by rescuers and volunteers, Duan said.

The disaster has left 615 people dead, 114 others missing and necessitated the relocation of 230,000. It also toppled 80,000 rooms of 25,800 households.

Among the relocated people, about 100,000 are living in tents and other temporary shelters while the rest in the homes of their relatives or friends, Duan said.

"We can say that people in the quake zone now have access to food, water and safe shelter," he said.

However, the official noted overcrowding in tents in some remote sites hit by the quake.

He added that the bodies of quake victims are now being buried or cremated upon the approval of their family.

The central government has allocated 2.2 billion yuan (about 358 million U.S. dollars) to fund disaster relief.