A total of 600 soldiers with the Lanzhou Military Area Command have arrived at mudslides-devastated Zhouqu county in northwest China's Gansu Province, and started relief work.

Three other detachments consisting of more than 1,700 soldiers with the command as well as a 180-member medical team are on their way to the affected areas.

Six helicopters, including four from the Lanzhou command and two from the Xinjiang Military Area Command, have also departed for the affected areas.

China's armed police have also sent 2,100 members to help with the relief work, with 740 of them having arrived at the scene.