Xinhua
Beijing, May 12 (Xinhua) China Eastern Airlines (CEA) Monday cancelled all flights to southwestern Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu after a major earthquake hit the region and, according to an estimate, killed at least 5,000 people. CEA will operate back-up flights to help move disaster relief supplies and workers, a company spokesman said.

All subsidiaries of the airliner will prioritise transportation of relief goods and staff, he said.

The company has informed the passengers of the cancelled flights, he added.

The State Seismological bureau said an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted the Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province at 2.28 p.m. Monday.

Meanwhile, the Central Meteorological Station (CMS) in Beijing said rains in the quake-hit southwestern Sichuan Province will continue for the next three days.

A large part of the province will have light or moderate showers and thundershowers between Monday evening and Wednesday morning, said Yang Guiming, the station’s chief forecaster.

“The western part of the Sichuan Basin will see heavy rainfall,” Yang said.

Rains are also likely in parts of Tibet, Qinghai Province and north China in the next three days.

Rainstorms are expected in southwestern Yunnan Province.
Xinhua