BEIJING, Sept. 6 -- Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province was punched by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake at 12:52 of September 5. Soon after the earthquake, the army under the PLA Western Theater Command immediately activated contingency plans and related troop units with professional rescuers were ready for disaster relief missions.
At 15:30 Spet.5, the aviation troops, engineering troops and medical service troops assigned to the 77th Group Army finished preparations and waited for order to set out.
At 18:10 Spet.5, a convoy of 28 vehicles and over 200 service members carrying rescue equipment sent by a brigade of the 77th Group Army under the PLA Western Theater Command hurried to the quake-hit area. At 00:20 a.m. Sept. 6, they arrived at the epicenter, Detuo town and started rescue missions in groups.
At 07:40 a.m. Sept. 6, an engineering brigade under the 77th Group Army dispatched over 200 service members and 28 vehicles loaded with tents and other living supplies to the quake-stricken area for rescue mission.
At 08:00 Sept.6, two transportation helicopters and 12 crew members from an army aviation brigade under the 77th Group Army flew to the seriously-hit Moxi town in Luding County for rescue mission.
As of 17:00 Sept. 6, the two helicopters have transferred 27 wounded people out of the quake-hit area and delivered 1,400 kilos of disaster-relief supplies.