Volunteers send out vegetable soup to earthquake victims on May 16 at the Jiuzhou Gym, the largest aid center in Mianyang city.

Ensuring water and food supply is emerging as the biggest challenge in the aftermath of the quake.

As of Friday, 1.4 million people in quake-hit regions still lacked safe drinking water though water supply has been resumed in 70 percent of the affected areas, said Guo Weimin, director of the press department of the Information Office of the State Council, yesterday in Beijing.

"We haven't had safe water to cook for days," said He Zhangju, 51, from Jinhua town near Mianyang city. The town, sandwiched between the cities of Shifang and Mianyang, is virtually cut off, with poor road conditions hampering rescue and relief work. The only bridge connecting it to other areas has collapsed.

Parcels of mineral water were airdropped from helicopters. But that was two days ago, and the town desperately needs more.

Villagers have been fetching water from the nearby hills and digging up food from the debris. "We are not sure about the quality of the water we are getting," He said.

In Yinghua county, Luo Zaiwu, a quake survivor who has lost two sons, has been scavenging for quilts and clothes among victims' bodies. His fingers were filled with dirt from all the digging he has been doing these past days. A disheveled and unshaven Luo yesterday borrowed a uniform from soldiers on the rescue mission.

In areas where transport links have been resumed, relief material is reaching survivors easily. Guo from the Information Office of the State Council said infrastructure and facilities are gradually being rebuilt and relief supply is stable. Telecommunication connections are being reestablished but 1,732 telecom stations still can't be accessed.

By Thursday, about 2,885 relief centers had been set up, allocating 180,000 tents, 220,000 quilts and 170,000 clothes.

"Relief resources have been sent out," said Cao Jie, an official of the communications office with the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Tang Kui, 26, a soldier serving the relief center at Hanwang town of Mianyang city, said they have been sending out a steady stream of food, water and biscuits to victims since the quake. "Food and water are quite sufficient here."

However, cooked food is tough to get because of the water and electricity crunch. Soldiers have been on a diet of just biscuits and bread for days now.

"We are also short of hands," said Tang, covered with grime and sweat. "I haven't had much sleep since we got here. I could collapse any minute."

(China Daily May 18, 2008)