Action to ease quake suffering

SOEs called to provide urgent supplies and services in Qinghai

China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have donated 83.67 million yuan to the quake-hit northwest Qinghai province, as part of the relief efforts, the industry watchdog said on Monday.

The death toll climbed to more than 1,900 and hundreds remain missing after the powerful tremor early last Wednesday that shook Yushu, a remote area in Qinghai.

China's State Assets Supervision and Administration Commission urged all SOEs to act quickly to contribute to the quake relief work, as chances of survival diminish as time goes by.

In a statement on its website, the commission asked SOEs in the quake-ravaged region to try to repair the power grid, resume telecommunication and ensure energy supplies to as soon as possible.

SOEs in Qinghai and neighboring provinces are required to provide necessary personnel and equipment such as cranes and excavators to rescue teams at work in Yushu.

SOEs in the fields of aviation, transportation and logistics have been ordered to speed up transport of medicines, food, tents and clothes, which are in urgent need in Yushu.

A 24-hour hotline has been set up in the commission to collect information and coordinate relief work.

PetroChina, the country's top oil producer, has arranged to ship a total amount of 2,041 tons of oil products to Yushu.

China Southern Airlines, the country's leading carrier, has dispatched more than 10 relief flights to carry fire fighters, reporters, medical teams, food, tents and other relief materials to the quake zone.

To ensure communications in the region, China Unicom has transported electric generators for emergency communication transmission to technicians from neighboring provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.

The telecom company also set up a special hotline to help people to find their missing relatives.

By last Friday, the State Grid Corporation had dispatched six special teams of technicians (517 people), to repair damaged parts of the power grid in Qinghai.

China Grain Reserves Corporation has prepared 360 tons of flour and 150 tons of rice to be sent to Yushu immediately.

Top SOEs donators are COSCO with 10 million yuan; PetroChina with 7.76 million yuan; Sinopec 5 million yuan; CNOOC with 3 million and China Minmetals Corp with 2 million yuan.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/20/2010 page15)