The Civil Protection Department has launched a campaign to raise funds to help the victims of the earthquake in China’s Sichuan earthquake.

The CPD will start by sending 100 tents that are to provide shelter to about 500 people who were made homeless by the disaster.

Director Peter Cordina explained that the CPD was purchasing the tents at discounted prices and was now calling on the Maltese and Gozitans to donated money to purchase these tents and others as well as any other items that the Chinese might need. He also called on large companies and banks to make their contribution.

The first consignment is expected to leave Malta on Thursday but specific details will be given at a future date.

The cargo is expected to be sent to Rome – with the help of Alitalia and Air Malta – from where the Chinese authorities will take it where needed.

Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the Civil Protection Humanitarian Aid Accounts can do so at BOV account 4001 1546 461 of HSBC account 0780 0239 1050.

Picture: A primary school student looks out of the window of a temporary classroom built from a military tent in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province. Children returned to schools in some of China's worst hit districts, fourteen days after a massive earthquake as the country struggled to put normality back into the lives of survivors.