The Red Cross Society of China (RCC) has so far received 150 million yuan (US$18 million) in donation for tsunami-hit countries, sources with the RCC said Friday.

US$2.66 million of the money were sent to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Maldives soon after they were hit by the killer disaster late last month and the rest of the fund will be sent in the short run for rebuilding villages, schools and orphanages in the disaster area, the sources said.

According to the sources, two RCC's rescue teams have arrived in Indonesia and Sri Lanka Friday and a third team will go to Thailand early next week to learn about needs in the Tsunami-stricken region and discuss with local Red Cross societies on rescue action.

A Boeing 747 cargo aircraft will soon fly to Indonesia with rescue materials valued at more than 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million).

The RCC will publicize the amount of donation collected and their uses on its Website on time, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2005)