A ten-member Chinese rescue team arrived in Yangon by plane Tuesday to extend a helping hand to the Myanmar people affected by severe flood.

The Blue Sky Rescue Team, the Chinese largest non-governmental humanitarian organization, is the first international rescue team arriving in Myanmar. They have rushed to Rakhine State, one of the worst-hit areas, for launching rescue operations.

Over the past few weeks, continued heavy rains hit Southeast Asia and parts of South Asia. 12 of 14 provinces In Myanmar suffered from the flood. 4 regions entered into a state of emergency. Official statistics show that 69 people have been killed and more than 26 million people were affected.

Before the Myanmar government issued an assistance request to the international community, the Chinese Embassy and Chinese enterprises in Myanmar have already mobilized to provide help to flood areas in Myanmar.

The rescue mission led by the Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang, handed the second batch of donation covering 20, 000 families in Sittway, Myanmar's western Rakhine State on Tuesday. This was after the first one, which covered 1,545 families in Kalay township in Sagaing Region on Monday.

Another Chinese group will be dispatched to carry on a rescue mission in central Magway Region within the same week and a special family rescue package was designed to provide the flood- stricken people with daily necessities.

The total fund of the program for Rakhine State as well as Sagaing and Magway regions summed up to about 300,000 U.S. dollars.

Chinese enterprises in Myanmar also participate in the relief missions. Since Aug. 1, the managers and the staff of China Wanbao Copper Company in Myanmar have visited the disaster areas. After understanding the needs of victims, they have started relief measures including donations of food, deployment of water tankers to provide drinking water, helping people to build temporary shelter, organizing mobile medical teams to provide medical services in prevention and treatment of diseases after disaster.

"When disaster struck, help came from all sides. This is a fine tradition of the Chinese nation. We want help the local government to rescue the victims in flood, " said Luo Daqing, head of the Wanbao Copper Company.