(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-13 06:35

BEIJING - China's Health Ministry said Monday it had sent 10 emergency medical teams to quake-hit Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The teams comprised medical and epidemic prevention experts from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and local health bureaus of Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangdong and Shandong, a ministry spokesman said.

The ministry said it was organizing more back-up teams to help with the rescue efforts.

The Health Ministry urged the teams to assess casualties and the medical needs of the victims and to make arrangements accordingly.

It also promised to closely monitor the situation in affected provinces and to coordinate the medical relief work.

So far there has been more than 7,000 injured people hospitalized for further treatment, according to local health department.

The Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) urged local Party organs and governments to mobilize more officials to get on front line and engage in disaster relieving.

The Ministry of Education has ordered local educational authorities to mobilize schools especially elementary schools and kindergartens to make preparations for self-protection and helping each other for possible aftershocks.

On Monday evening, another medical team of 22 medical experts dispatched by the General Hospital of Armed Police Forces left from Nanyuan Airport in Beijing.

The destination of the team was reported as the epicenter of the quake Wenchuan, but the landing location has not been clarified by the hospital.

The team's leader Hou Shike said the team's 13 men and nine women were qualified in disaster rescue work and were experienced.

The team were equipped to carry out all-weather and all-terrain operations, Hou said.

The team has also been equipped with satellite phones for communication with Beijing, he added.

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions has appropriated one million yuan (US$143,000) to its affiliate in Sichuan Province to help people suffering from the disaster with basic lives.

The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has sent 557 tents and 2,500 quilts valued at 788,000 yuan (US$113,000) to Wenchuan County, after the quake.

The Red Cross Society of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region also donated 500,000 yuan (US$71,400) to the disaster hit areas via RCSC for local Red Cross societies to help people.

China Life, a major insurance company in the country, was collecting damage information from accessible insurants, according to the company.

The National Tourism Administration has issued a warning to the public which asked local travel agencies to halt all planned journeys destined to the quake hit areas or passing by the areas.

For the traveling groups that have already set out to the quake areas, local tourism administrations should stop them and inform the travelers with the situation, the warning said.

It also advised the public not to plan a visit to the quake hit areas in near future.

Immediately after the quake, the Sichuan health bureau dispatched 13 medical contingents of 40 people to Wenchuan county.

The Ministry of Public Security issued a notice on Monday requiring local police authorities to put the protection of life and the maintenance of social order in disaster-affected areas as priorities.

The notice ordered police to ensure smooth passage for vehicles carrying disaster-relief workers and materials to affected areas and to harshly deal with anyone taking criminal advantage of the quake.

Anyone found to be fabricating and spreading rumors should also be harshly dealt with according to law, said the notice.

The Ministry of Land and Resources has warned of risks of geological disasters after the quake on Monday.

In an emergency notice issued Monday, the ministry asked local authorities to carry out accurate geological and weather assessments to identify possible risks such as landslides.

The ministry ordered its provincial branch to immediately send experts to the quake-hit region to assess geological disaster risks in temporary accommodation areas.