Russia continues supplying relief aid to Chinese quake victims

Moscow, May 18 (UNI) A Russian plane carrying relief supplies and humanitarian aid for Chinese quake victims for the most affected Sichuan province flew to China.

Russian Il-76 transport plane of the Emergencies Ministry's flew out of Ramenskoye Airfield outside Moscow yesterday to the city of Chengdu, the administrative capital of the province of Sichuan that was most severely affected by the earthquake, ministry sources said.

''The plane is carrying diesel generators and food. The total weight of relief supplies is 32.5 tonnes,'' a ministry official was quoted as saying by Itar Tass.

This is the fourth shipment of humanitarian aid to China from Russia. Earlier, three Emergencies Ministry planes, one of which arrived in China this morning, carried 90 tonnes of tents, blankets and mattresses.

Russian rescuers, who are working in the affected area, have rescued a survivor from under the debris yesterday, more than five days after the calamity.

Forty-nine Russian rescuers, including medics and psychologists, arrived in Sichuan on Friday.

Since the start of the search and rescue operation in the province, 33,434 people have been rescued. Over 4,800,000 people have lost their homes and have been provided with temporary accommodation.

Civilian and military medics have attended to almost 150,000 people since Monday.

According to official reports, about 29,000 people died it the earthquake. But authorities said the death toll might exceed 50,000.

UNI XC SZ HT1336