Thanks for clearing that up Jamil. I was disconcerted to be told by several Chinese that the country does not have an emergency rescue service and it's the army's job to step in when needed. As for the specialist equipment, you're right they do have some, but what I have mostly seen on TV is soldiers digging with shovels and their hands. This is probably partly due to the inaccessibilty of many devastated areas, but also I suspect because they do not have enough gear to deal with such a large scale disaster.

I have nothing but admiration for the many thousands of people who are giving their all to save lives and provide relief in Sichuan. Today state media announced that some 200 rescuers have been buried by landslides.