BEIJING -- China's armed forces had dispatched 113,080 soldiers and armed police to help with rescue operations in earthquake-hit areas as of 8 a.m. on Sunday.
The National Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming told a press briefing that the armed forces had found 21,566 people from debris, treated 34,051 injured people and transferred 205,370 people to safety.
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake on May 12, which rocked southwestern Sichuan Province and areas around it, has claimed more than 32,000 lives. The country's State Council, or the Cabinet, estimated the total death toll could top 50,000.
Shortly after the massive quake, armed forces from Chengdu, Jinan, Lanzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou Military Area Command were summoned into the rescue operations which involved more than 20 services, including the Marine Corps, airborne troops, engineers, communications, reconnaissance and medical personnel.
Military transport aircraft and helicopters had made 1069 flights, and 92 military trains as well as about 110,000 military vehicles, cranes, rubber boats, portable communication devices and power generators were used in the operations, Guo said.
He also told the reporters that 115 medical teams were sent to the disaster zone, and quilts, food, medicine and tents weighing a total of 780,000 tons were distributed.
Armed forces personnel had donated about 160 million yuan ($22.9 million) to relief work, Guo said, stressing the sum was still rising.
The armed forces also airdropped 307 tons of relief supplies and repaired 557 kilometers of damaged roads, he said.
The first Chinese military rescue team headed for the disaster area within 14 minutes after the strong earthquake hit the southwest Sichuan Province, said Hu.
This is the first press conference held by the military after the troops and armed police rushed to the quake-hit regions since the May 12 earthquake.
Hu said the servicemen made all their effort to rescue the victims, rebuild the damaged roads, and transport the emergency goods.
He praised the Chinese military for its hard work and endurance, adding the first 200 armed police entered the seat of the Wenchuan county on Wednesday after walking 90 kilometers in 21 hours.
He said the Chinese military established different rescue zones. The servicemen were also well-equipped with satellite, life detection equipment and radar to increase the efficiency of the operation.
The spokesman and other five officers with the Departments of the General Staff, General Political, General Logistics, and General Armament, and the Armed Police Headquarters attended the press conference.
