A Chinese earthquake rescue team arrived Algiers early on Saturday to help Algeria's rescue and relief efforts as the death toll from the devastating earthquake is still rising.

It is the first time that Chinese rescue personnel have participated in international aid activities for earthquake relief.

The team, consisting of 30 highly experienced personnel and headed by Yue Mingsheng, deputy director of the China Seismological Bureau, will help with the search and rescue work.

The team brought with them three sniffer dogs and relevant equipment, and 9 tons of relief goods.

On Thursday, the Red Cross Society of China donated US$50,000 to the Red Crescent Society of Algeria. The donation is the first that Algeria received from a foreign country.

The death toll from Algeria's devastating earthquake exceeded 1,600 and is expected to rise further, Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia said on Friday.

Ouyahia told a press conference that the toll is going to get worse, and attributed heavy loss of life to the high population density in the worst-hit region.

More than 7,200 people were injured the quake and hundreds are still missing. Hopes of finding survivors in the debris are fast diminishing.

Wednesday night's earthquake, which measured 6.7 on the Richter scale, was the worst quake that hit Algeria since 1980. It was followed by more than 200 aftershocks, some as strong as 5.7 and 4.8 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the tremor is said to be some 70 km east of the capital city of Algiers.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2003)