May 12, 2008 

Chinese Pemier Wen Jiabao (C) arranges disaster relief work after a major quake hit Southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday during his flight to the disaster area, May 12, 2008. [Xinhua Photo]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao ponders over relief work during his flight to the disaster area, May 12, 2008. [Xinhua Photo]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has asked for public calm and efficient organization of disaster relief work after a major quake hit southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday.

Wen has arrived at Dujiangyan, a city northwest of the provincial capital Chengdu, and started to oversee disaster relief work. The city was less than 100 kilometers from the quake's epicenter at Wenchuan County.

The road from Dujiangyan to Wenchuan was blocked by rock and mud slides, holding up rescue, medical and other disaster relief teams, a witness said via mobile phone.

Power supplies and telecommunications links to Wenchuan are still out.

Premier Wen asked military personnel waiting in the city to enter the area as soon as possible even if they had to walk to Wenchuan.

The earlier the troops arrived, the more lives they could save, he said.

An official at the temporary headquarters for disaster relief said disaster relief teams were seeking other ways into the mountainous area of Wenchuan and other badly hit regions.

The premier urged local officials to make the protection of lives their priority and provide whatever they could to help the injured.

Water, power supplies and telecommunications should be restored as soon as possible, Wen said, adding that dams, major bridges and railways should be repaired and maintained.

According to the Ministry of Railways, 31 passenger trains and 149 cargo trains have been stopped en route due to the destruction of railway bridges caused by the quake.

Lines from Chengdu to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, were reported open, but lines to northwest China's Shaanxi Province were still closed.

Speaking as he flew to the area to oversee relief work, Wen said the CPC Central Committee and the Cabinet had ordered Party and government officials at all levels to the front line to organize disaster relief.

Officials should make every effort to help the people and to overcome fear and fatigue, Wen said aboard his flight to Taipingsi airport on the outskirts of the Sichuan provincial capital, Chengdu, on Monday evening.

"My fellow Chinese, facing such a severe disaster, we need calm, confidence, courage and efficient organization," he said.

"I believe we can certainly overcome the disaster with the public and the military working together under the leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the government," he said.

The quake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, jolted Wenchuan County at 2:28 p.m. on Monday, according to the China Seismological Bureau (CSB).

The epicenter of the quake is located 31 degrees north and 103.4 degrees east, the bureau said.

Premier Wen headed for Wenchuan directly from central China's Henan Province where he cut short an inspection of rural areas.

President Hu Jintao called on government departments involved in disaster relief work to organize immediate first aid for the people and to ensure public safety.

The State Council, the Cabinet, has established the temporary headquarters for disaster relief comprising eight departments responsible for helping with rescue work, medical care, security, information and other tasks.

The quake has killed 8,533 people in Sichuan alone, according to local government sources.