China: 5 million left homeless

2008-05-20 13:29

Chengdu - China said it was struggling to find shelter for many of the five million people whose homes were destroyed in last week's earthquake, while the confirmed death toll rose on Tuesday to more than 40 000.

Officials say the death toll is expected to surpass 50,000. The confirmed death toll increased to 40 075, said the State Council, China's Cabinet.

In the rescue effort so far, 6 375 survivors were dug out from quake debris, among some 360 159 people relocated to safer areas, the council said earlier.

The government was setting up temporary housing for quake victims unable to find shelter with relatives, but there was a "desperate need for tents" to accommodate them, said Jiang Li, vice minister of civil affairs.

Nearly 280 000 tents have been shipped to the area and 700 000 more ordered, with factories working triple shifts to meet demand, Jiang said.

"Despite generous donations, the disaster is so great that victims still face a challenge in finding living accommodations," she said.

Not possible to accept all the rescue teams

China has said it would accept foreign medical teams as the relief efforts shifted from searching for survivors to caring for the injured and homeless. A growing number of countries responded by dispatching doctors to the quake area.

A Russian medical team with a mobile hospital arrived on Tuesday in the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang said. A 37-member medical team sent by the Taiwan Red Cross organisation also arrived in the disaster zone.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said a 23-member medical team would leave on Tuesday for China. Other countries and groups have also offered to send medical teams.

"But given the situation, and difficulties in the area, including transportation and telecommunications, it is not possible for us to accept all of the rescue and medical teams to engage in relief work," he told a news conference.

Identified bodies will be cremated

Because of plans to bury bodies quickly, the government said DNA samples will be taken from corpses to help with later identification, Jiang said. Identified bodies will be cremated, although burial will be allowed where no cremation is possible.

Official media said on Tuesday that more than 30 sources of radiation were buried by debris from quake, but all except two have been disposed of and the overall situation was safe.

The Chinese government has previously said all nuclear facilities affected by the earthquake were safe and under control, but did not give any details.

Oil and gas operations in the quake zone are virtually back to normal, state-owned oil and gas giant CNPC said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, China's banking regulators ordered banks to ensure adequate loans and other support for companies and individuals in the area.

- AP