A 55-STRONG team from Singapore will leave for earthquake-hit Chengdu province in China on Friday to help the local authorities in their search and rescue efforts.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on Friday said the contingent from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) will be led by LTC Ng How Juah, Commander of the 4th Civil Defence Division.

MFA said Singapore is sending the overseas rescue team at China's request.

China on Thursday allowed Japan to send a rescue team to help in the search effort, three days after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck the southwest Sichuan region leaving tens of thousands dead or buried.

But South Korea and Australia have both had offers of help denied and a non-governmental British rescue charity is still awaiting permission to enter.