China brings home 2,700 citizens from Nepal

BEIJING - About 2,700 Chinese citizens have been brought home from Nepal as of Wednesday, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Chinese passengers arrive in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, April 26, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's major airlines, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Sichuan Airlines, will continue to send aircraft to Nepal to bring home stranded Chinese citizens, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told a regular press briefing.

China will provide a second round of humanitarian aid worth 40 million yuan (6.54 million US dollars) to Nepal, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced earlier Wednesday.

The aid, including water purification equipment, first aid kits, tents and blankets, will be delivered to Nepal as soon as possible, Hong said.

The Chinese government announced its first round of aid, worth 20 million yuan (3.3 million US dollars), on Sunday, including supplies of tents, blankets and generators.

According to Hong, two cargo planes carrying 600 tents prepared by the Red Cross Society of China arrived in Nepal on Wednesday at noon local time.

The Chinese government also sent a 60-strong medical team with 20 tonnes of disease prevention supplies to Nepal, Hong said, adding they are expected to arrive in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

So far, the massive earthquake and its aftershocks have claimed more than 5,000 lives in Nepal and injured over 10,000.