BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Four Chinese air force Ilyushin II-76 military
transport aircraft on Thursday began flying relief materials to south China
areas affected by severe winter weather.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday announced that the General
Staff Department had ordered the aircraft to carry quilts and winter coats from
bases in Xi'an city, Shaanxi Province, and Changzhi city, Shanxi Province to
south China.
The supplies would be delivered to people whose homes had been damaged by
the extreme weather, said Lieutenant-Colonel Chen Zheming, of the PLA emergency
response group.
"After receiving a request for air assistance from the State Disaster
Relief Commission, the four military carriers immediately suspended their
military tasks and flew to the appointed bases in 40 minutes," he said.
One aircraft took off at 1:17 a.m. on Thursday from Changzhi and landed at
Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, at 3:57 a.m..
However, aircrafts scheduled to leave Xi'an just after midnight were
delayed when sleet closed the airport at their destination in Guiyang, capital
of Guizhou Province, said Chen. They were still awaiting orders.
"PLA headquarters and relevant military districts have had tanks and
armored cars on standby and they can be put into use to break ice on the roads
at the request of local governments," said Senior Colonel Tian Yixiang of the
same emergency response group.
"Whenever there is a disaster, the military is obliged to take part in the
relief work," Tian said. "This is an obligation required by the Constitution and
the laws.
"When manpower is in need, we send our men. When goods are in need, we
offer our goods," he said.
By 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the PLA and armed police had sent a total of
207,000 person times in the fight against the snow-caused disaster.
The PLA donated 419,000 quilts and 219,000 cotton-padded coats to
disaster-affected areas, which will be transported by rail, road and air.
China fights "war" against havoc
caused by snow
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China is waging all-out war
against the disasters caused by heavy snow and rain in the southern provinces,
with military forces and police officers getting involved. Full story
Forecaster: China's winter storm to
continue
BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's worst winter weather
in five decades will continue over the next three days, the China Meteorological
Administration (CMA) said on Wednesday.
Heavy snow and sleet has paralyzed transport and coal
shipments, and led to travelers cramming railway stations and airports. Power
supply has been reduced in almost half of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities on the Chinese mainland. Full story
China's Politburo meets on extreme
weather
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Political Bureau of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is urging local
authorities to regard disaster relief as the "most pressing task" and to make
"all-out efforts" to ensure normal production and life in areas hit by
unprecedented bad weather this month. Full story
Premier Wen rushes to Hunan Province
to direct disaster relief work
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) speaks by
a loudspeaker to the stranded passengers at the Railway Station of
Changsha in central China's Hunan Province on Jan. 29, 2008. (Xinhua
Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (1st L,
front) shakes hands with a stranded passenger at the Railway Station of
Changsha in central China's Hunan Province on Jan. 29, 2008. Wen Jiabao
arrived in Changsha on Tuesday to help direct disaster relief work in the
central Chinese province, which had been hit by appalling weather.(Xinhua
Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao has rushed to Hunan to help with the central China province's disaster
relief work following an unprecedented snowfall.
Wen flew out of Beijing on Monday night but had to
land at Tianhe Airport in neighboring Hubei Province because of the bad weather
in Hunan. He then completed his journey by train and arrived in Changsha City,
the provincial capital, on Tuesday morning. Full story
China allocates another $13.5 mln to
aid snow-hit areas
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of
Civil Affairs (MCA) and Ministry of Finance on Tuesday allocated 98 million yuan
(13.5 million U.S. dollars) to four rain and snow-hit provinces to help those
affected.
The two ministries have so far provided a total of
126 million yuan in financial aid to six provinces hit hard by icy rain and
heavy snow. Full story
