Red Cross raises $6.1m for quake victims

The Red Cross Society of China has collected 38,000,000 yuan ($6.15 million) to help victims of the Yunnan earthquake, Zhao Baige, its executive vice-president, said on Tuesday.

Wang Ping, director of the society's relief aid department, said he was told about the quake four minutes after it happened on Sunday, and swiftly initiated a top-level emergency response.

Two hundred tents, 2,000 cotton quilts, 2,000 jackets and 1,000 family boxes were sent to the disaster area on Sunday night.

More than 100 Red Cross rescue workers are at the disaster site and more are on their way, he said.

However vehicles stranded on roads affected by the quake are making it difficult for the teams to reach victims. In some cases emergency supplies have to be carried in by rescuers on foot.

The Red Cross is asking individual volunteers to stay away so they do not disrupt the aid operation.