(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-31 20:38

BEIJING -- Four Chinese air force Ilyushin II-76 military transport aircraft on Thursday began flying relief materials to south China affected by severe winter weather.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday announced that the General Staff Department had ordered the aircraft to carry quilts and winter coats from bases in Xi'an city, Shaanxi Province, and Changzhi, Shanxi Province to south China.

The supplies would be delivered to people whose homes had been damaged by the extreme weather, said Lieutenant-Colonel Chen Zheming, of the PLA emergency response group.

"After receiving a request for air assistance from the State Disaster Relief Commission, the four military carriers immediately suspended their military tasks and flew to the appointed bases in 40 minutes," he said.

One aircraft took off at 1:17 a.m. on Thursday from Changzhi and landed at Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, at 3:57 a.m..

However, aircraft scheduled to leave Xi'an just after midnight were delayed when sleet closed the airport at their destination in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province, said Chen. They were still awaiting orders.

"PLA headquarters and relevant military districts have had tanks and armored cars on standby and they can be put into use to break ice on the roads at the request of local governments," said Senior Colonel Tian Yixiang of the same emergency response group.

"Whenever there is a disaster, the military is obliged to take part in the relief work," Tian said. "This is an obligation required by the Constitution and the laws.

"When manpower is in need, we send our men. When goods are in need, we offer our goods," he said.

By 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the PLA and armed police had sent a total of 207,000 person times in the fight against the snow-caused disaster.

The PLA donated 419,000 quilts and 219,000 cotton-padded coats to disaster-affected areas, which will be transported by rail, road and air.