An Air Macao freight aircraft, carrying 12 tons of relief supplies, was scheduled to arrive Sunday afternoon in Chengdu, capital of China's quake-hit Sichuan Province.

Macao's first batch of humanitarian aid to quake victims, it includes milk powder, biscuits, flashlight, blankets, towels and clothes.

The supplies were collected by the Union of the General Associations of Neighborhood Associations of Macao (UGAMM) and the Macao Red Cross.

The supplies were prepared after the Macao Red Cross sent a mission to acquire the first-hand information of the quake-stricken area. "Hopefully the aid can meet the urgent needs of the victims in Sichuan," said Chou Kwok Hei, chairperson of the Macao Red Cross, at the airport.

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that jolted southwest China had risen to 32,477 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Sunday, while the number of injured reached 220,109, according to the emergency response office of the State Council.

The supplies from Macao will initially be delivered to Sichuan's Ya'an City after the aircraft arrives at Chengdu's Shuangliu International Airport.

The Macao Red Cross will continue raising funds and collecting supplies so as to deliver the next batch of aid as soon as possible, said Cho. Medical materials were still urgently needed.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)