Essential relief supplies have continued to pour in to the quake-hit areas of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, while tents were quickly set up to help relocated residents endure the freezing overnight temperatures on the first night after Tuesday's deadly quake.
A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured after the 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Xizang at 09:05 (Beijing Time). The earthquake's epicenter was situated in Tsogo Township, Dingri County, within the city of Xigaze, with 27 villages and a population of around 6,900 people residing within a 20-kilometer radius of the affected area.
A preliminary survey shows that 3,609 houses have collapsed, said the city government of Xigaze, adding that 407 trapped people have been rescued and over 30,000 affected residents have been relocated.
The region has deployed more than 12,000 rescuers, including fire fighters, soldiers, police officers and professional rescuers to the quake site.
In the heavily damaged Chamco Township of Dingri County, rescue teams set up tent shelters in Gurum Village and other affected areas, providing essential amenities such as quilts, food, water, medical supplies, and cooking stoves to accommodate those in need.
A power supply system is expected to be completed at one relocation point in Chamco Township.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of rescue equipment and vehicles, including those transporting vital relief supplies and emergency communication equipment, has been arriving in the township, bolstering the relief efforts as the search for trapped victims is ongoing.
China's central authorities have dispatched some 22,000 disaster relief items to the quake-hit region, including cotton tents, winter coats, quilts and folding beds, together with special relief materials for high-altitude and frigid areas.
The earthquake emergency response in Xizang has been raised to level I, the highest one, the region's emergency command center announced on Tuesday.
According to weather forecast, Dingri will experience mostly sunny weather over the next couple of days, with the temperature ranging between minus 17 and 8 degrees Celsius.
Supplies pour in to help residents endure freezing overnight temperatures following Xizang quake
Supplies pour in to help residents endure freezing overnight temperatures following Xizang quake
Supplies pour in to help residents endure freezing overnight temperatures following Xizang quake
Supplies pour in to facilitate residents' warm night after quake in Xizang
Rescue efforts were ongoing in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Wednesday as teams continued to search for survivors of the previous day's quake, while extensive relief work is also being carried out to ensure relocated residents have the necessary supplies and shelter to protect them from the harsh winter temperatures.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County of Xigaze on Tuesday morning, with at least 126 people confirmed to have lost their lives and 188 others injured, while over 3,600 homes have collapsed.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday ordered all-out rescue efforts to save lives and treat the injured, while urging steps to prevent possible secondary disasters, properly resettle the affected residents, and handle the aftermath work effectively.
Later the same day, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, led a team to the quake site to guide the rescue and relief efforts.
Upon his arrival, Zhang immediately headed to Changsuo Township, the most severely affected area, where he visited quake victims at rescue sites, temporary shelters and hospitals. He also inspected ongoing rescue operations, checking on the repair efforts for damaged infrastructure, and the provision of medical treatment, relief supplies and living arrangements for local residents.
Before night fell on Tuesday, rescue and relief teams had quickly established 29 temporary shelters across the Changsuo Township, providing accommodation for over 4,000 people. Here quake-affected victims could stay inside insulated tents and received hot food, helping them fend off the cold weather as temperatures plunged well below freezing during the night.
We have focused on establishing shelters, food stations, and medical facilities. Currently, people in the quake-hit areas have access to hot meals, tents for shelter, and medical care," said Zhang Jian, commander of the Forward Command Post of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command.
Despite a series of aftershocks and other challenges including the difficulty of working at high altitude and enduring harsh temperatures, emergency workers have been working round the clock.
So far, more than 12,000 personnel from the emergency response, firefighting, forest, police departments and military have engaged in rescue and relief efforts, setting up 187 resettlement sites across the affected counties to provide shelter for some 46,500 residents.
Following the quake, President Xi stressed the need to promptly allocate emergency rescue supplies, expedite the repair of damaged infrastructure, ensure the basic needs of residents are met, and guarantee a safe and warm winter for all those affected in these high-altitude regions which are prone to cold weather.
Heeding Xi's call, local officials have formed service squads which are going door-to-door in the affected villages to ensure the basic needs of all residents are being efficiently met.
Xu Chao, the first Party secretary of the badly-hit Gurong Village in Changsuo Township, said that efforts had been made to establish as many hot meal service points as possible, and noted that local officials were on 24-hour standby in the surrounding areas to provide timely assistance to those in need.
Fourteen medical teams consisting of 30 experts and 100 medics have arrived in Dingri County to provide treatment to those injured in the quake. At Dingri County Central Hospital, more than 180 injured residents have received treatment, while those with more severe injuries have been transferred to Xigaze City for further medical care.
In terms of infrastructure, all seven of the national and provincial highways which sustained damage in the quake have been restored. Meanwhile, the Dingri Airport and the Heping (Peace) Airport of Xigaze City are also now operating normally, while the State Grid has deployed personnel to restore power facilities.
So far, most communications networks, roads, and power supplies in the quake-stricken areas have been largely restored.
The first batch of 22,000 disaster relief items dispatched by central authorities also arrived at the quake-hit region.
On Wednesday, authorities also sent out another batch of 20,000 items, including quilts and folding beds, to further support disaster relief work in Dingri County and the surrounding areas.
Relief work in full swing to ensure sufficient supplies, shelter for residents in quake-hit Xizang
