An Il-76 plane of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has air-dropped eight tonnes of drinking water, food and medicine to earthquake victims at an isolated phosphorite mine in Mianzhu City, according to military sources.

The military plane flew two missions to the Qingping Phosphorite Mine at 2:38 AM and 2:55 AM Thursday.

The military rescuers learned that over 3,000 people were there, without any drinking water, food and medicine. As of 2:00 PM of Wednesday, the mine had reported 50 deaths, 36 people missing, and over 100 people who were either injured in the earthquake or suffering from illness.

The trapped people also included over 2,000 local villagers who had come to find shelter at the mine's headquarters. The area is too difficult to reach on land at the moment because of damage caused by Monday's earthquake.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2008)