China earthquake adoptions to start

CHENGDU, China, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- The adoption process for 88 earthquake orphans has begun in China's Sichuan province, authorities have announced.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs responded to tens of thousands of phone calls and contacts from people asking to adopt orphans after the magnitude 8 earthquake hit May 12. Only qualified Chinese mainland families with parents over the age of 30 will be eligible, the state-run news service Xinhua reported Saturday.

Only children under the age of 14 can be adopted, and those older than 10 should be consulted on their preferences, added government officials, noting that custody priority is always given to the children's relatives.

"Of 532 children who lost both parents in the earthquake, 240 were under the age of 14. Most of them had their grandparents or other relatives as guardians. Only 88 orphans currently need care," said Chen Kefu, deputy head of the provincial Civil Affairs Department.

The earthquake took nearly 70,000 lives, left thousands of others missing and millions more homeless in Sichuan and Gansu provinces.