The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) called for donations to help victims in the earthquake-striken areas in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The commodities in urgent need such as tents, cotton-padded quilts, food, drinking water are not so easily be transported to the disaster-hit areas due to transportation difficulties, according to the RCSC.

Donations in cash is preferred at this stage, said an official with the RCSC.

Donators can donate cash to the RCSC through the following bank account: for RMB account, the address is Dongsi Office, Beijing Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the account number is 0200001009014413252; for foreign currency account, the address is Jiuxianqiao Branch of CITIC Bank and the account number is 7112111482600000209.

The RCSC also opened a hotline 010-65139999 and 010-64027620 for consultation during the daytime.

The 7.8-magnitude quake, occurred in Wenchuan Monday afternoon, has killed 9,219 people in eight affected provinces and municipality including Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou and Hubei, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said in a release issued at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2008)