Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality sent its first rescue team of about 200 medical staff and 200 fire fighters to the quake-hit Yushu county of Qinghai Province Thursday morning, a spokesman from the municipal government said.

The rescue team has also brought 30 ambulances and many other quake-relief equipment and materials, according to Qu Qian, director of the municipal health bureau.

Most of the members in the rescue team have participated in the quake-relief work of the devastating Sichuan earthquake in May 2008, Qu said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 15, 2010)