First batch of China's flood relief materials arrive in Cambodia

First Vice-President of Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), Nhim Vanda (R, front) talks with Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue (L, front) during handover ceremony of China's emergency relief aids to Cambodia at Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia, Oct. 15, 2011. China provided items estimated at about 50 million yuan (about 7.8 million dollars) for Cambodian flood victims. (Xinhua/Philong Sovan)

Cambodian military personnel unload flood relief items donated by China at Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia, Oct. 15, 2011. China provided items estimated at about 50 million yuan (about 7.8 million dollars) for Cambodian flood victims. (Xinhua/Philong Sovan)

Cambodian military personnel unload flood relief items donated by China at Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia, Oct. 15, 2011. China provided items estimated at about 50 million yuan (about 7.8 million dollars) for Cambodian flood victims. (Xinhua/Philong Sovan)

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of China's emergency relief aids for Cambodian flood-affected people arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport on Saturday afternoon.

The hand-over ceremony of the aids was made at the airport between the Ambassador of China to Cambodia Pan Guangxue and Cambodia's Vice President of the National Committee for Disaster Management Nhim Vanda and Health Minister Mam Bunheng.

The relief aids included more than 30 types of medications, medical supplies and equipment, mosquito nets, blankets, towels and other relief materials, Pan Guangxue said during the ceremony.

The aids are part of the emergency humanitarian assistance worth 50 million yuan (7.87 million U.S. dollars) to Cambodia for flood relief efforts, he said. The second batch of the relief assistance will arrive here on Sunday evening.

Pan Guangxue also conveyed sympathy from the leaders and the people of China to the government of Cambodia and Cambodian people for the worst floods that have claimed Cambodian lives and damaged enormous properties.

"The aids are to help Cambodia to relieve the difficulties; the aids come from the heartfelt generosity of the Chinese government and people to Cambodian government and people to ease difficulties causing by the floods," he said. "China wishes to see Cambodia a quick recovery from the flood devastation."

Speaking during receiving the relief assistance, Nhim Vanda said the assistance reflected the attention of Chinese government and people to Cambodian people.

"China is largest relief aid donor to Cambodia during the flood disaster," he said. "The aid is timely and will be very useful to help Cambodian people who are affected by the floods."

"On behalf of the government of Cambodia and Cambodian people, I would like to express sincere thanks to the government of China and her people for the relief aids, and I wish the friendship and cooperation between Cambodia and China to be stronger and to last forever," he said.

He said the aids would be soon distributed to flood-affected victims.

Cambodia has been hit the worst in the last decade by the Mekong River and flash floods since early August. To date, at least 247 people has been killed and affected about 1.5 million people, said Nhim Vanda.

Some 2,410 kilometers of roads have affected and other 660 kilometers of roads have been damaged.