Beijing  - An estimated 5 million people left homeless by the quake in Sichuan province in south-western China awoke Saturday from a fifth night in difficult conditions, with tons of relief supplies flooding into the disaster zone.

Amid wrecked infrastructure, the lack of sanitation for the surviving population and the inability to bury the more than 50,000 estimated dead as fast as bodies were being pulled from the rubble was raising the spectre of disease.

Shortages of medical staff, medicines and blood supplies were being reported for the 169,000 people injured in Monday's massive earthquake.

The Chinese military was planning to erect two additional field hospitals in the region, though equipment still needs to be transported to the scene.

China's Air Force was set to fly 10 more medical teams and 1,100 tons of relief supplies into Sichuan, drawing on military stockpiles, including 5,000 tents, 200 electrical generators, food, clothing and blankets, the government's Xinhua news agency reported. (dpa)