The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) has dispatched a team of officers and men for emergent rescue work in the quake-hit areas of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Meanwhile, it immediately sent the first batch of relief goods and materials, including 300 tents and a relief fund of 500,000 yuan (US$60,240).

As of press time, 11 locals were reported dead and 34 others injured in the quake Monday morning, according to the regional seismological bureau.

The quake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, occurred at 9:38a.m. Monday, in Zhaosu county, the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture with the epicenter located at 43.1 degrees north latitude, 80.1 degrees east longitude, some 80 km away from the county seat of Zhaosu.

The quake was strongly felt in Zhaosu county and its adjacent areas, and a preliminary survey showed that more than 700 houses tumbled and nearly 140 houses turned dilapidated and were in bad shape.

The XPCC incurred great losses in the quake.

Most of the collapsed houses, built over three decades ago, were occupied by workers of the XPCC from the locality.

In October 1954, the central government ordered most of the PLAunits stationed in Xinjiang transferred to local civilian work.

Separated from the setups of national defense forces, the military units formed a production and construction corps, whose missions were to carry out both production and militia duties, and cultivate and guard border areas.

With a population of 2.45 million, including 933,000 workers, the XPCC is subordinated to the dual leadership of the central government and the government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Zhaosu county is located in the bordering area between China and Kazakhstan, where geological movements are active, and the quake Monday is the strongest over recent years.

(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2003)