More than 200 immigration police officers deployed by the entry-exit border inspection authorities in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region have joined rescue operations following a deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the region on Tuesday morning.
The powerful quake, with its epicenter in Tsogo Township, jolted Dingri County in Xigaze City at 09:05 on Tuesday, claiming at least 126 lives and leaving 188 others injured as of 19:00, according to the authorities.
The immigration authorities activated their emergency contingency plan in the shortest possible time, deploying personnel from over 20 primary-level units with more than 300 rescue tools, including stretchers and medical supplies.
Within 10 minutes of the tremor, the Xigaze immigration detachment dispatched a 15-member emergency rescue team to the disaster zone.
After nearly seven hours of relentless efforts, the team had pulled 21 survivors from the rubble, relocated more than 600 affected residents, addressed 116 safety hazards, and distributed emergency relief supplies, including two tonnes of food and 100 tents.
Dingri County lies on the northern slope of the Himalayas, bordering Nepal to the south. With a population of over 60,000, the county is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang.
Immigration police join rescue efforts after deadly Xizang earthquake
