An airplane carrying tents and other humanitarian materials donated by the Sri Lankan government left Colombo, Sri Lanka, early Sunday morning for southwest China's Sichuan Province, where a devastating earthquake has claimed more than 60,000 lives, officials said.

Chinese Embassy officials said the airplane of the Sri Lankan Airlines carried 277 tents, medical equipment, medicine, clothes and other relief materials.

The plane left Colombo at about 1:35 AM (20:05 GMT) and is scheduled to arrive at Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan Province later Sunday.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told reporters at the airport that he hopes the aid will help the victims to overcome their sufferings and restore their lives in the shortest possible time.

(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2008)