Seven People's Liberation Army (PLA) helicopters had delivered 9.1 tonnes of disaster relief goods to Wenchuan, epicenter of Monday's quake, and its neighbouring counties by 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The goods included satellite communication systems, medicines and quilts.

According to the Chengdu Military Area Command, the first two helicopters airdropped food, drinking water and medicine to Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County at Wednesday noon, which was hit by the quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale.

The helicopters also carried 45 injured people to hospital, military sources said.

An army unit equipped with mobile phones was helicoptered into the cut-off county of Wenchuan, the military sources said.

China planned to parachute troops and supplies into Wenchuan on Tuesday, but cancelled the operation because of thunderstorms and heavy rain.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2008)