The Mianzhu city aid center in Southwest China, located in the unfinished Mianzhu city stadium, is the leading location for disaster relief and medical aid in Mianzhu after the city was jolted by the earthquake that hit many parts of Sichuan Province and many other places of the country.
More than 250 tents have been erected for residents whose houses were destroyed by the earthquake, according to officials in charge of the aid center. Each tent can accommodate between 12 and 16 people.
Trucks full of people from the disaster-hit areas were seen constantly entering the aid center. About 200 vehicles in every minute got through this town to transport rescuers, victims and relief goods according to local volunteers. As more and more people move into the center, more tents would be erected, the officials said.
Some residents moved in soon after the earthquake shook the city, while others were sent here later. Yu Legui, 51, said he moved into the relief center together with his wife and son the second day after the earthquake took place.
The displaced residents came from different parts of the city, with many from Hanwang, a town seriously hit in the quake. Lots of soldiers and professionals kept searching for possible survivors with life detect equipments at Hanwang. Three lives signals were detected on Friday morning, unfortunately, due to difficulties in clearing the debris with hands, no one was rescued before all the signals faded away.
Shifang and Mianzhu, two economic powerhouses in Sichuan, were among the areas that were the worst hit in the disaster, said government officials from Deyang City, which administers the two cities.
People from the disaster-stricken areas are provided with food, drinking water and quilts in the center. The army helped put up the tents.
As part of the relief center, the medical section with 200 to 300 medics including doctors and nurses is taking care of around 500 injured residents, said a lady surnamed Wang in charge of the section.
Many severely injured have been transferred to hospitals in adjacent regions like Chengdu, Meishan and Ziyang that have better medical facilities, according to Wang.
Many medical vehicles were from other provinces like Hubei.
All were touched by the large numbers of volunteers who offer food, milk and drink water to people suffering from the disaster and who provide free transportation services and other services. About 4,250 of total 85,000 residents in Mianzhu city, north of Chengdu, in Sichuan province, were confirmed dead as of 6 pm on May 15, according to local government.
Earthquake survivors receive clothes at a rescue center in Mianzhu city, one of the worst quake-hit areas in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 16, 2008. [chinadaily.com.cn/by Rong Xiandong in Mianzhu]