A total of 50,000 quilts and 37,700 tents allocated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs have arrived at the southwest China quake zone as of 3:00 PM on Thursday, with 32,200 tents going to Chengdu, in Sichuan Province.

The ministry said it had allocated 127,580 tents, 220,000 quilts and 170,000 sets of quilted clothes, and the remainder is set to arrive by the end of Friday.

More firemen would be sent to reinforce rescue teams in remote townships, the Ministry of Public Security said Thursday.

More than 7,000 firemen, special policemen and medics would be deployed to Pingwu and Beichuan counties, Xuankou, Shuimo, Sanjiang Townships of Wenchuan County, and other townships in Mianyang and Mianzhu to clear "blind spots" in rescue work.

They should move swiftly to locate and rescue survivors, the Ministry of Public Security ordered.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2008)