The Chinese government has sent hundreds of rescue teams and provided 60 million yuan ($9.7 million) in emergency supplies to earthquake-hit Nepal, a foreign ministry official announced on Wednesday.

Huang Xilian, deputy head of the ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs, said China has dispatched more than 340 teams, many of them community organizations, in response to the region devastated by the massive quake.

As one of its two neighboring countries, China is responsible for helping Nepal, said Huang.

Among the teams engaging in rescue efforts, the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Engineer Corps and Chemical Defence and Decontamination Force, a first for both groups overseas.

The teams are now concentrating on the long-term tasks of disease prevention and building shelters following their search and rescue work, Huang added.