Government departments swiftly engage in rescue efforts after quake hits Gansu

(ECNS) -- Chinese government departments acted swiftly to allocate relief funds and supplies to Gansu and Qinghai provinces to rescue people and help restore reconstruction following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake

The earthquake killed 113 people and injured more than 780 in Gansu, according to a news briefing held by the earthquake relief headquarters of Gansu Province on Thursday.

China's National Development and Reform Commission has activated the emergency response mechanism and established a special team to carry out earthquake relief work while allocating 250 million yuan (about $35 million) of funds.

The Red Cross Society of China has allocated 5.2 million yuan of relief funds and disaster relief supplies including 2,200 tents, 37,600 sets of cotton quilts, 8,250 folding beds, 4,500 coats, and 4,300 relief family packages.

The Gansu Provincial Red Cross Society also sent 200 tents, 2,000 quilts, and 2,000 coats to support the rescue and relief work.

Ten rescue teams, comprising 140 members of search and rescue, medical, relief, public health, and psychological support personnel, have been deployed to the earthquake-stricken areas of Gansu and Qinhai. 

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Water Resources have allocated 55 million yuan in emergency funds to help with water-related earthquake relief work.

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions allocated 8 million yuan in special funds for earthquake relief to the Qinghai Provincial Federation of Trade Unions.

The earthquake jolted Jishishan County in Gansu province on Monday night, at a depth of 10 kilometers, the China Earthquake Networks Center said.

Three cities and prefectures in neighboring Qinghai Province were affected by the earthquake.