China deploys helicopters for flood relief work

China has deployed helicopters to help with relief work in flood-hit southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The Chengdu unit of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) aviation unit dispatched three helicopters with 19 relief workers and 7.5 tonnes of materials in 12 flights to Caopo township of Wenchuan County, which suffered downpours and mud-rock flows, according to the area command.
Wenchuan was the epicentre of an 8.0-magnitude earthquake that left 87,000 people dead or missing in 2008.
The unit sent five helicopters on Saturday and another two on Sunday, besides sending about 11 tonnes of disaster-relief materials.
Injured people, pregnant women as well as trapped residents have been moved to Chengdu City, capital of Sichuan Province, for treatment and care, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Thunderstorms and rainstorms have wreaked havoc in Sichuan over the past week.
Moreover, the province is expected to see a new round of heavy rainfall in its west areas from today evening to Thursday with precipitation of more than 300 mm, according to the provincial meteorological administration.