The National Earthquake Rescue Headquarters has set up a working group to take charge of the collection and allocation of rescue materials. Officials say their aim is to ensure all supplies will reach those in need in a timely manner.

The group consists of officials from the Ministries of Civil Affairs, Railways, Communications, and Commerce. It will coordinate the collecting and sending of aid materials to quake-struck areas.

Wang Zhenyao, disaster relief director of Ministry of Civil Affairs, said, "We have set up a joint system with airlines, the army, railways, and transportation officials. Our aim is to purchase and gather more aid materials and send these to the disaster areas as quickly as possible."

The Ministry of Civil Affairs says Monday's quake is the deadliest to hit western China since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Experts say the quake is affecting over one million people, many of whom are urgently in need of basic necessities. The ministry says it will ensure the aid supplies are passed on to the victims quickly.

Wang Zhenyao said, "It's a challenge to send aid materials to a million people. So we will mobilize help from the whole country."

Xu Xihe, Vice director of Market Operations of Ministry of Commerce, said, "The local government will deliver part of the aid materials. The rest will come from all around the country. This way we'll guarantee there's enough supply for the victims."

Huge amount of aid materials is already on the way. But due to damaged roads and disrupted communication networks, timely information has become hard to come by.

Wang Zhenyao said, "For the aid to arrive within 24 hours, we are anxious to communicate with the victims in the epicenter of the quake. We urgently want to arrive in the quake-struck villages, talk to the victims, and give them our aid. Now we are in the most crucial phase of the rescue work."

The Ministry of Railways and the nation's airlines are also allocating trains and planes to deliver the emergency aid. The Ministry of Civil Affairs, meanwhile, is providing disaster victims with shelters.

(CCTV May 14, 2008)