The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) said Thursday that it has allocated more than 2.8 million yuan (US$412,000) of relief funds and goods to quake-hit Yushu prefecture of northwestern Qinghai Province.

It includes 500,000 yuan of relief funds, 1,000 tents, 5,000 quilts and 5,000 cotton-padded clothes, it said.

Shortly after arriving in Jiegu Township, near the epicenter, Thursday morning, the RCSC disaster relief team overcame altitude sickness and visited the disaster-affected area.

The quake area is in desperate need of tents, clothes, quilts, food, drinking water and medicine, it said.

Many people received text messages, saying doctors who can speak the Khampa Tibetan language were badly needed. The message also gave a contact phone number for doctors wanting to volunteer.

The Chinese public has actively responded to donation calls. Some Beijing citizens come to the RCSC office to donate money.

The Chinese Red Cross Foundation also sent an urgent relief fund of 2 million yuan to its branch in Qinghai for the quake-hit area to buy tents, cold-proof supplies and foods and to support the victims.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2010)