Members of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong bow their heads in remembrance of victims of the Sichuan earthquake at a candlelight vigil at Chater Garden yesterday. Edmond Tang

Some members of the SAR's rescue team in Sichuan province required counseling as they were disturbed by the devastation that they witnessed in the ruined zone, the team leader said yesterday.

After completing its mission in Hanwang, the 40-member team returned to Chengdu where they were awarded a banner by Cui Zhiwei, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Sichuan Provincial People's Government, in recognition of their rescue efforts.

The team will liaise with mainland authorities over its next mission. It will return to Hong Kong if it is not assigned any new operation.

The team recovered 24 corpses, and pulled out one woman alive who was buried under the rubble for seven days - which confirmed team members' belief that their efforts were worthwhile even though their lives had been threatened by an 5.2-magnitude aftershock and that they have not been able to take a shower for a week.

However, some team members were emotionally disturbed.

"Unfortunately, nearly all the people we found were dead. Some of the team members were disturbed by the sight of the dead bodies. Our doctors and leaders had to comfort them," said team leader Tam Tai-keung.

Team member Li Chun-kit believed the team's mission is not only to save lives, but to inform survivors of the fate of their family members as well.

"I believe we can give people closure when we dig out bodies of their loved ones," he said.

Another six-member medical team deployed by the Hospital Authority departed for Chengdu yesterday to provide treatment to survivors.

The team, led by Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital chief of service Lau Chor-chiu, comprises a child psychiatrist, clinical psychologists and a patient food safety and dietetic expert.

There are 25 healthcare professionals so far sent to Chengdu by the SAR government, including the six-member team.

Centre for Health Protection infection control branch head Raymond Yung said infectious disease outbreaks may happen two weeks after the disaster because people have been living in crowded shelters after the earthquake destroyed their homes.

Prince of Wales Hospital deputy chief executive Philip Li said patients who had been buried under the rubble would need dialysis.

Yuen Pak-chuen, a medical practitioner who went to Beichuan with Hong Kong Red Cross, said some rescuers went into a state of shock as they were exhausted after the round-the-clock rescue efforts.

Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said the SAR government will provide medical equipment to Sichuan.

"Orthopedic surgical equipment is needed, as well as prostheses and rehabilitations tools. We will see how Hong Kong can help," he said.

Approximately 240,000 people were injured in the quake, and some of them suffered broken limbs.

The Li Ka Shing Foundation announced a cooperation project with the China Disabled Persons' Federation to give free prosthetic services, artificial limbs and wheelchairs to all amputees.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong organized a candlelight vigil at Charter Garden with the participation of 2,000 community members. A three-minute silence was observed during the vigil.

(HK Edition 05/22/2008 page1)