HOLDING ON TO HOPE: Rescuers continue to search the rubble for survivors in Longtoushan on August 4 (CHEN HAINING)

The Ministry of Civil Affairs posted a notice on its website on August 4, advising volunteers who are not professional rescuers not to go to the quake-hit areas until the end of the rescue stage for fear of possible traffic jams, telecom failures and limited boarding facilities.

On the same day, the ministry also started shipping 33,460 tents, 10,000 quilts, 10,000 folding beds, 10,000 sleeping bags and other relief materials to Yunnan.

A main road into the worst-hit areas of Ludian was clogged with bulldozers, as well as civilian and military vehicles carrying supplies including water and instant noodles on August 4. By 1 a.m. August 5, nearly 10,000 military service members had entered the quake-stricken areas to search for survivors, treat the injured, transport foods and other supplies and prevent the occurrence of communicable diseases.

Xinhua News Agency reported on August 4 that Longquan Village was in severe shortage of medicines and the local conditions were too poor to perform operations for the severely injured.

ARDUOUS PATH: Soldiers help to evacuate survivors from Huodehong Township, Ludian, to safe areas on August 4 (WU LANG)

Starting from August 5, six helicopters were devoted to delivering food, water and medical supplies to the quake-affected areas and to perform medical evacuation of the severely injured.

The National Committee for Disaster Reduction issued the highest-level national disaster relief response to cope with the earthquake. The committee decided to lift the level of the disaster relief response from grade III to I at 11 a.m. on August 4, around 18 hours after the earthquake occurred. Grade I is usually issued for "especially major natural disasters" in which more than 200 people are killed or more than 1 million people are relocated.

Flying to Zhaotong on August 4, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrived at Ludian to coordinate the rescue and relief efforts personally. As the road to Longquan was damaged, Li walked over 5 km to reach the village on that afternoon. He immediately visited a shelter for displaced people and a temporary clinic set up at a middle school, urging medical staff to try their best to save people's lives.

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