Shanghai plans to establish its first earthquake rescue team this year and set up 50 temporary shelters before 2010 for emergency use, officials of the Shanghai Seismological Bureau announced yesterday.

They are the city's major measures to defend against natural disasters during the 11th Five-Year Guidelines (2006-2010), officials said.

"Shanghai needs to improve its overall civil defense ability as it quickly becomes an international city," said Xiao Gongjian, an official in charge of the bureau's emergency and rescue affairs.

He said the new earthquake rescue team will have a staff of more than 200 members including doctors, firefighters and police officers.

"They will be very well equipped," said Xiao, noting team members are being selected now and will then undergo training.

Once formed, the rescue team will also likely be sent to some of Shanghai's more than 60 sister cities -- including Montreal in Canada, and St Petersburg in Russia -- to help in emergency situations.

Also in the anti-disaster blueprint, the city plans to build 50 temporary shelters. Infrastructure for the first shelter will be completed by June at the Dalian Road Greenland in Yangpu District.

It will hold hundreds of people and be used as a model for the other shelters, officials said.

"Any of the new shelters can provide basic necessities for at least 24 hours," Xiao said.

Shanghai is on an alluvial plain - mainly made up of mud and silt -- and outside the country's earthquake belt. Therefore, it is highly unlikely a quake will strike the city.

But since there is still a possibility, however slim, researchers said contingency plans are necessary.

"No one predicted the tsunami disaster which was caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean," said Wei Xiao, an official of the bureau.

According to the bureau, the city experienced three "noticeable earthquakes" in recent history --1984, 1990 and 1996 respectively.

(Shanghai Daily April 22, 2006)