The Ministry of Commerce and provincial authorities have sent 70 mobile shops into remote towns and villages in the northwest China's Gansu Province that suffered in the May 12 massive earthquake.

These vehicles were engaged in both retail and wholesale in the cities of Longnan and Tianshui and the prefecture of Gannan, according to the Longnan quake control and disaster relief headquarters on Thursday.

A total of 2,692 business stores in the province were damaged or destroyed in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake. They had combined economic losses of 250 million yuan (US$36.2 million).

The Ministry of Commerce provided 50 of the 70 mobile shops and the Gansu provincial government the others.

The mobile shops began operating on Wednesday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2008)