Disaster-hit Vanuatu has been dealt another setback after a second earthquake jolted the Pacific Island nation in the early hours of Sunday, while international efforts have been stepped up to aid the ongoing relief and recovery operation.
The 6.1-magnitude quake hit Vanuatu at around 02:30 local time Sunday morning, and follows the larger 7.3-magnitude quake which devastated the archipelago on Tuesday, with a number of aftershocks also reported.
Authorities said the 7.3-magnitude quake which hit on Tuesday had claimed at least 12 lives, left over 200 injured, and caused widespread damage, with homes flattened and vehicles destroyed.
The Australian government on Sunday committed an additional five million Australian dollars (over three million U.S. dollars) in practical humanitarian assistance for the people of Vanuatu. It follows an initial humanitarian aid package worth two million AUD (around 1.2 million USD).
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said in a joint statement that this funding would support the next phase of Vanuatu's emergency response.
The new package includes 2.5 million AUD (1.5 million USD) which has been set aside for medical care for the injured and to supply water, sanitation and hygiene products and services.
Meanwhile, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces have deployed a special team to support the ongoing relief efforts in Vanuatu, with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka saying on Friday that the military team would remain in Vanuatu throughout the Christmas period.
Disaster-hit Vanuata dealt setback as new quake strikes; int'l aid increased
Disaster-hit Vanuata dealt setback as new quake strikes; int'l aid increased
Disaster-hit Vanuata dealt setback as new quake strikes; int'l aid increased
China is continuing to accelerate its green energy transition while meeting the considerable power demand, with renewable energy representing over 80 percent of the country's new installed power generation capacity.
The latest data showed that China's newly installed capacity for new energy power generation reached 258 million kilowatts from January to November, accounting for 81.5 percent of the total newly installed power generation capacity.
Experts say the renewable energy expansion can be partly attributed to China's efforts to accelerate the construction of new energy bases in its western areas to promote the distribution of new energy production in the more populous central and eastern parts of the country.
"For the next step, China's new energy power generation will be both centralized and distributed. It will also be land-based and sea-based. The generated power will be transmitted to other regions and consumed locally. We will continue promoting the construction of the wind and solar power generation bases in the sandy areas, rocky areas and deserts in the shelterbelt program in the northeast, north, and northwest regions of China. We will push forward the development of the water, wind, and solar power generation bases in southwestern China and the offshore wind power generation bases in eastern China. We will work to strengthen coordination in an effort to comprehensively diversify the supply of new energy," said Rao Jianye, director of the Clean Energy Research Institute under the China Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute.
China is also improving its new power system, keeping enhancing the system's capability for receiving and distributing new energy so as to support the country's energy transition.
As China races to construct more new energy storage projects like photothermal energy storage projects and compressed-air energy storage projects, so far, the country's new energy storage has a capacity of over 60 million kilowatts, marking a significant achievement in maintaining the stable operation of the country's power system.
By the end of July, China's total installed capacity of wind and solar power had exceeded 1.2 billion kilowatts, more than doubling the 2020 level and achieving the 2030 target six years ahead of schedule.
New energy represents over 80 pct of China's new installed power generation capacity
