Russia’s Emergency Ministry is sending two more planes with tents to China's quake-hit province of Sichuan. The latest supply is in addition to the 232 tonnes of humanitarian aid that Russia has already delivered to the country.
Also, an Mi-26 helicopter from Russia has been working in the south-west province, transporting fuel and earthmoving equipment. Meanwhile, a Russian mobile hospital unit, which has treated about 1,500 patients, is preparing to return home. Chinese authorities have thanked the countries which provided help in the wake of the earthquake three weeks ago. The official death toll has reached almost 70,000, but with more than 17,000 people still missing, that figure is likely to grow.