Asia-Pacific News
Taiwan search, rescue team ready to fly to quake-hit Sichuan
By DPA
May 12, 2008, 21:57 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan's National Search and Rescue Team is ready to fly to China to help rescue survivors in Sichuan Province, which was hit by a devastating earthquake, press reports said Tuesday.

The National Search and Rescue Team is standing ready to fly to China as soon as the Interior Ministry and the Mainland Affairs Council gives the go-ahead, said the Central News Agency (CNA).

The team mobilized its members and equipment after Monday's earthquake. 'It hopes to rush to China and rescue survivors within the 72-hour Golden Time for Rescue,' CNA said.

The search and rescue team is awaiting a request from China for help, so that the Taiwan government can respond to the request and dispatch the rescue team.

According to international conventions, foreign countries cannot dispatch search and rescue teams to a country unless that country requests help from the international community.

Local search and rescue teams from several Taiwan cities and countries are also ready to rush to China, CNA said.

Taiwan's National Search and Rescue Team is made up of firefighters in the National Fire Administration. It has gone abroad several times to help search for earthquake victims.

An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, at 2:28 pm (0628 GMT) Monday. The death toll has climbed to nearly 10,000 as of midnight Monday. The quake was felt in many parts of China as well as South-East Asia.

The Taiwan government and civic groups are evaluating the damage in Sichuan to decide how to raise money and send aid to China.