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China sends 18,000 troops for rescue efforts
April 21, 2013, 4:10 pm

[Xinhua]

Senior medical experts from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences rushed from Beijing to Sichuan on Sunday morning [Xinhua]

A total of 18,000 soldiers from China’s military and armed forces have been sent to the affected areas of Saturday’s devastating earthquake in South-West China.

The Chinese government on Sunday allocated $160 million for disaster relief efforts.

One hudred and eighty six people have been confirmed dead in the 7.0 magnitude earthquake so far, according to the local government.

More than 1.5 million people have been affected.

Military and civilian rescue teams are struggling to reach every household in Lushan and neighbouring counties of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, said the rescue headquarters of the Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) on Sunday.

Military rescue teams will also help transport materials, build shelters and ship supplies.

Ten senior medical experts from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences rushed from Beijing to Sichuan on Sunday morning to help prevent possible epidemic outbreak, including the H7N9 avian flu, sources said.

With inputs from Xinhua