PLA choppers sent for disaster-relief mission in Nepal

Medical staff in Gyirong county, Tibet autonomous region check the body temperature of soldiers who just flew back from relief work in Nepal, on May 6. China dispatched three army helicopters to aid earthquake-ravaged Nepal on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

LHASA -- China on Wednesday dispatched three army helicopters to aid earthquake-ravaged Nepal.

As of Thursday morning, the choppers had flown 12 trips from Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.

Their missions to help with local transportation and rescue will continue for days, said Guo Lan, a senior official with the Chengdu Military Area Command, which provided the three helicopters.

The military helicopters have so far transferred more than 300 quake victims and brought 9 tonnes of relief goods to the local Nepalese.

A total of 360 tonnes of relief materials are due to be sent to Nepal within four days. A hundred tonnes of materials from China's military arrived in Nepal on Saturday and Sunday.

The death toll of the devastating earthquake on April 25 has reached 7,652 in Nepal.