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President Xi Jinping has urged all-out rescue efforts to minimize casualties following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the Xizang autonomous region on Jan 7, which claimed 126 lives and leveled thousands of houses
The rescue operation saw 407 trapped individuals taken to safety within 24 hours after the quake occurred
The rebuilding of eight villages severely affected by the quake started on Mar 3
More than 120,000 people currently living in temporary shelters will move into new homes by the end of the year
LHASA -- Just half an hour after the 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, Dondrup Tsering got to work, combing through the debris as he searched for survivors.
"My colleagues and I used our hands to dig through ruined homes and pull out buried people," said Dondrup Tsering, a local police officer of Tibetan ethnic group. His face was marred by dust and sweat, and his fingernails were stuffed with dirt and blood when he talked to Xinhua in a quake-shattered village Gurum, one of the worst hit villages in the area.
The strong earthquake that struck around 9 am Tuesday has toppled thousands of rural houses. By Tuesday midnight, a total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured.
The epicenter of the earthquake is located in Tsogo township of Dingri county in the city of Shigatse. An all-out rescue operation has been ongoing in 27 quake-hit villages within a 20-km radius of the epicenter, where approximately 6,900 people reside.
Dondrup Tsering, from the Dingri county public security bureau, said villagers barely had time to put on their clothes as it was still early in the morning local time, with some rushing out of their rooms wrapped in quilts. Tragically, some were buried by the collapsed walls.
With an average altitude of 4,500 meters, Dingri county is home to the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak. It is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang, which has a population of over 60,000.
Adding to the rescue difficulties, temperatures plummeted below minus 10 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night. However, more and more rescuers, including firefighters, police officers and soldiers, have arrived at the scene.
Armed with flashlights and aided with sniffer dogs, the rescuers worked non-stop over the night in the hope of saving as many people as they can within the first 72 hours of "golden period" after the disaster.
From morning to sunset, Dondrup Tsering and his team pulled 17 villagers out of the debris.
FIRST NIGHT AFTER EARTHQUAKE
As the search and rescue efforts went on, 170,000 urgently needed items such as quilts, blankets, cotton coats, stoves and instant noodles were shipped to the disaster area.
Meanwhile, thanks to the emergency repairs, power was restored at 10 am on Tuesday, just an hour after the quake in Gurum village. By around 5 pm, all residents had moved into makeshift tents.
In the two resettlement areas in Gurum village, over 30 tents were set up, with stoves lit inside to keep the evacuees warm through the night.
As temperatures dropped below zero at approximately 7:30 pm, the first batch of bedding arrived on-site, ready for distribution.
"The main challenge today is the low temperatures; however, the arrival of bedding has addressed this issue," said Sangye, a village official overseeing the resettlement sites. Each resident received at least two blankets and a cotton mattress.
Migmar, 57, shared a tent with another family. She also received bottled water and snacks to help her through the night.
Additional stoves were expected to be installed the next day to help residents prepare butter tea and tsampa, staples beloved by Tibetans. More quake-relief materials are on the way.
By midday Tuesday, over 60 soldiers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) had arrived in Gurum village to assist with rescue efforts.
"We plunged ourselves into the rescue efforts as soon as we arrived," said military officer Kelsang. "When the people saw us, they shouted, 'The PLA has come!' Hearing this makes it all worthwhile, no matter how challenging or exhausting it is."
So far, they have rescued 12 injured people and 79 livestock. As night fell, they lit stoves and prepared meals for the residents.
By 8 pm, despite occasional aftershocks, the village's streetlights were illuminated, and the stoves kept the tents warm inside.
In the tents, many people lit butter lamps to pray for their loved ones and fellow villagers who lost their lives in the earthquake.
Outside the tents, soldiers and relief workers were pitching more tents and cooking porridge, eggs, and ginger soups for the settlers.
"When a new day dawns with the morning light, tomorrow is another day," said Kelsang.
The All-China Women's Federation and its affiliated foundations have raised funds, and gathered relief supplies for Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region, which was hit by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday.
The federation's China Children and Teenagers' Fund and China Women's Development Foundation have so far collected funds and relief materials valuing about 13.75 million yuan ($1.88 million), among which an aiding fund of 700,000 yuan has been allocated for the region.
The federation has purchased over 4,800 bedquilts and 2,000 coats for people in the disaster-stricken area. Some other relief materials including 500 down jackets, emergency kits for females and children, and 10,000 cases of instant noodles have been sent to the earthquake-hit area, according to a release by the federation.
The federation said it will continue raising funds for females, children and families affected by the earthquake, and keep in close contact with its offices in Xizang to make sure the relief materials are safely transported to the disaster-stricken area.
The deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday happened following a northward compression from the Indian Ocean plate and crustal movement, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
The quake's epicenter was located in the Lhasa block in southern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the center stated. It happened because of extensional rupture and represented an energy release event within the Lhasa block, it said.
Since 1950, a total of 21 earthquakes above magnitude 6 have occurred in the Lhasa block, with a maximum magnitude of 6.9, it said.
It's possible that aftershocks will hit the epicenter of Tuesday's jolt and the surrounding areas, the center stated.
The quake occurred at 9:05 am on Tuesday. Its epicenter was in the county's Tsogo township, where approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometer radius.
A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured as of 7 pm Tuesday, according to local authorities.
According to CENC, as of 8 am Wednesday, a total of 515 aftershocks have been recorded around Dingri county, including 488 aftershocks below magnitude 3.0 and 27 of magnitude 3.0 and above. The largest aftershock currently is magnitude 4.4, located approximately 18 kilometers from the epicenter.
HONG KONG -- John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), has pledged aid to disaster relief work after a deadly earthquake jolted Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.
Lee mourned the deceased and expressed sympathies to the injured via social media.
He said that he had instructed local authorities to closely follow the development of the relief efforts, adding that the HKSAR government stands ready to provide aid through its disaster relief fund.
By 7 pm Tuesday, a total of 126 people had been confirmed dead and 188 others injured from the 6.8-magnitude quake, which also toppled thousands of rural houses on the northern slope of the Himalayas.
BEIJING -- The China Children and Teenagers' Fund and the China Women's Development Foundation, both of which are under the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF), have raised 13.75 million yuan ($1.9 million) in funds and supplies for earthquake relief in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.
A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured as of 7 pm Tuesday, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in Xizang on Tuesday morning.
Following the earthquake, the ACWF issued notifications and guidelines for its local branches to participate in relief work, and kicked off a fundraising project on Alipay, a major online-payment platform in China.
As part of the ACWF's efforts, relief supplies including over 4,800 quilts, 500 down jackets and 10,000 cases of instant noodles have been dispatched to the affected area.
President Xi Jinping ordered all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that jolted Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday.
The earthquake occurred at 9:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was reported as of press time to have claimed 95 lives and injured 130 people.
In an instruction made on the disaster, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged utmost efforts to carry out search and rescue and provide medical treatment for the injured.
He underlined the need to prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle the affected people and handle the aftermath effectively.
It is essential to strengthen earthquake monitoring and early warning, promptly allocate disaster relief supplies and expedite the repair of damaged infrastructure, he said.
Xi also said that measures must be taken to ensure that the basic needs of residents are met and to guarantee a safe and warm winter for all.
On Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang also made instructions regarding the earthquake response, urging efforts to organize all-out rescue operations. Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing led a team to the quake site to guide the rescue and relief efforts.
The quake's epicenter was in Tsogo township. Within a 20-kilometer radius of the epicenter, about 6,900 people live in 27 villages, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Tseyang Lhamo, a resident of Yupe, a village in Dramso township of Dingri county, said that the houses of all but one of the village's 29 households had collapsed, and that all seven people in her own family were safe. The village was one of the three hit hardest by the quake.
"When the earthquake occurred, I was about to get up, and my cellphone received an earthquake warning, so I woke up my family and told them to run quickly," she told China Daily. "Soon our houses all collapsed.
"I felt dizzy and nauseous, and it was difficult to walk" when the quake hit, she said, but she managed to open the door of the sheep and cow pen, so the animals were not injured as the buildings collapsed.
Tseyang Lhamo and her family moved to an open place, where they awaited the arrival of disaster relief workers who were to set up tents and distribute necessities.
"We're emotionally stable, except for my mother, who keeps crying about the loss of property," she said.
She added that an elderly woman who had been trapped had been pulled from the debris by fellow villagers before rescue workers arrived, and that all the other villagers were fine.
Although the village was hit by a power outage, phone signals and networks were fine and transportation infrastructure was mostly intact, so vehicles were able to reach the area, although the ground had cracked a bit, according to Tseyang Lhamo.
Dingri county is along the route to Qomolangma, the world's highest mountain, which is known in the West as Mount Everest. The county is also the closest stopping point for tourists heading to the mountain.
The Mount Qomolangma Scenic Area has been closed pending further notice.
A staff member of the scenic area told China Daily that as of 2 pm on Tuesday, no houses there had collapsed and there were reports of some falling rocks.
"It's currently the tourism offseason, with few tourists," so the scenic area was "basically not affected", he said.
Wei Fulin, a receptionist at the Phuntsok Khangsang Qomolangma Base Camp Hotel, which is located in the scenic area, said that about 40 to 50 people who were staying at the hotel on Monday had all left on Tuesday morning.
Wei said the hotel is about 40 km from the base camp and was not seriously affected. "There were no collapses or casualties, just some wall cracks," he said.
With an average altitude of 4,500 meters and population of more than 60,000, the county is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang. It borders on Nepal to the south.
About 3,400 people from various departments including forest firefighters, armed police, public security and the military, along with more than 150 vehicles, had been sent to the front line to carry out search and rescue operations, according to a news conference about the earthquake that was held in Shigatse on Tuesday afternoon.
Additionally, about 340 medical workers have been sent to the earthquake-stricken area to treat injured or trapped individuals. Disaster relief supplies such as self-heating rice, bottled water, instant noodles, winter coats, winter shoes, blankets, beds and tents have been sent to the area.
Emergency rescue work was being intensified, including hazard identification in the earthquake-affected areas, the evacuation and resettlement of people, and the repair of damaged facilities.
The China Earthquake Administration sent a work team to the site to assist in local disaster relief efforts.
As of 1 pm on Tuesday, 16 aftershocks of magnitude 3.0 or above had been recorded.
In the coming days, there is still a possibility of earthquake activity, according to experts from the China Earthquake Networks Center.
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 100 million yuan ($13.7 million) of central natural disaster relief funds to support the Xizang autonomous region in carrying out earthquake disaster relief work.
Departments involved with infrastructure, signals, power supply, construction and other areas organized a comprehensive inspection of such things as railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, culverts, buildings and equipment.
Local authorities will strengthen earthquake monitoring and early warning efforts, and will spare no effort in searching for and rescuing any trapped individuals. They will also provide full support in treating the injured, carry out livelihood assistance, ensure that the basic living needs of those affected by the quake are met, and handle post-disaster tasks, according to the news conference held in Shigatse.
BEIJING -- China deployed several remote-sensing satellites to capture images of the quake-hit areas in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region's Dingri county on Tuesday morning.
Eight satellites, including the Gaofen series satellites and a land ecosystem carbon monitoring satellite, were mobilized to observe the quake-hit areas, according to the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application.
By Tuesday afternoon, the satellites had taken images eight times. The center said it will arrange more satellites with higher resolution to take images to provide more accurate information on the post-earthquake situation.
The Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources also mobilized at least three satellites to capture images of the quake-hit areas.
A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured as of 7 pm Tuesday.
Mobile communication signals in the most severely affected townships of Tsogo, Drams, and Chulho of Dingri county have all been restored as of Tuesday night following the earthquake earlier in the day, said the regional service provider.
Because of the 6.8-magnitude tremor that hit Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am on Tuesday, 177 local base stations of telecoms company China Mobile went out of service, said the China Mobile Communications Group Xizang Co., Ltd. After 9 hours of effort, as of 6:08 pm, the company said all mobile communication signals have been restored.
Along with the return of telecommunication services, Dingri county has seen some affected roads return to use.
As of around 7:18 pm, in Dingri county, there were five sections of national and provincial highways affected by the earthquake, including areas that had suffered landslides, subsidence and roadbed collapse. Through emergency rescue efforts, single-lane traffic has been restored, reported China Transport News.
In addition, as of 7:30 pm, Xizang Airlines has operated four flights for rescue support, departing from various locations including Beijing, Chengdu of Sichuan province, and Xining of Qinghai province.
These flights have carried 72 rescue personnel to the disaster area as well as some supplies, to support earthquake relief efforts.
palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn
LHASA -- A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured as of 7 pm Tuesday, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.
Many domestic universities have opened up special subsidy channels for students from the earthquake-hit areas in Xizang autonomous region.
As of 3 pm on Tuesday, a total of 95 individuals have been confirmed dead and 130 others injured following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am on Tuesday, according to a news briefing conducted by the county's authorities on the ongoing rescue efforts.
In Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, Sun Yat-sen University said it is now paying close attention to the situation in the disaster-stricken areas and revealed the students in financial difficulties in the process of applying for the subsidies.
The university said it has been ready to provide assistance to the students in need and the students can consult and apply for the subsidies through the various channels, including email and phone hotlines, the university said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Student Financial Assistance Management Center of South China University of Technology, also located in Guangzhou, said if the students' families suffer temporary financial difficulties due to personal injury or property damage caused by earthquakes or other disasters, they can apply for family disaster relief subsidies in the online service hall of the university's Student and Teacher Service Center.
Similar measures targeted at students whose families would be affected by the earthquake have been adopted in many domestic universities such as the China Agricultural University and Beijing Normal University and Lanzhou University in Gansu province.
In Shanghai, major universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Tongji University, and several universities and colleges in Sichuan have been ready to help and subsidize the students from the quake-hit areas in Xizang.
The Red Cross Society of China said on Tuesday that it has sent 4,600 units of disaster relief materials including cotton tents, quilts, insulated jackets and folding beds to areas affected by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.
The organization has also dispatched a working group and rescue workers there to carry out evaluations of disaster relief demands and aid rescue.
The quake hit Dingri county in Shigatse city at 9:05 am on Tuesday, with the death toll of 95 and 130 injuries as of 3pm.
The National Health Commission said on Tuesday that it has dispatched national-level emergency rescue medical specialists to areas affected by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region.
These medical workers are sent from Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing and Sichuan University’s West China Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province and specialize in intensive care, orthopedics and emergency medicine.
The commission has also required national emergency rescue medical teams in neighboring provinces and regions of Xizang to be prepared and ready to provide necessary support.
The quake hit at 9:05am, with its epicenter in Dingri county in Shigatse city. As of 3pm, the toll has reached 95 with 130 injured.
The commission added that local health authorities have activated an emergency response and the People’s Hospital of Xizang autonomous region has sent eight medical rescue vehicles and 26 medical workers to affected areas.
Local hospitals have also set up expedited channels to receive the injured and hospital beds are sufficient. Rescuing survivors and treating injuries are being carried out, as well as public health work, it said.
Following the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am on Tuesday, the affected communities are in need of emergency supplies, including tents and blankets, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.
Local authorities have mobilized various departments, including transportation, water resources, housing construction, townships and village officials, to conduct rescue operations.
The emergency management department has already coordinated with relevant agencies to organize rescue operations and simultaneously assess the extent of the disaster in the area, it said.
The official mentioned that the disaster area urgently requires tents, blankets, beds, and other emergency relief supplies.
Following a transport notice from the Ministry of Emergency Management, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration has promptly organized the dispatch of 22,000 pieces of central disaster relief materials, including cotton goods, cotton coats, blankets, and folding beds, to the Xizang autonomous region to fully support local efforts in disaster relief and assistance for affected residents.
Furthermore, the earthquake has affected the areas of Tsogo township, Dramso township, and Chulho township in Dingri county, temporarily interrupting communication signals.
However, the signal in other urban areas of Dingri county remains unaffected. China Mobile has activated its emergency response plan, deploying emergency rescue teams with necessary supplies to the epicenter area to ensure communication support for earthquake relief efforts.
Following Tuesday's 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, aftershocks are possible in the surrounding areas in the coming days, according to experts.
Aftershocks at the epicenter of earthquakes and the surrounding areas are generally common. They gradually diminish in intensity and frequency over time, with fluctuations occurring during this process, experts were quoted as saying in a report by China Youth Daily on Tuesday afternoon.
The quake occurred at 9:05 am on Tuesday. Its epicenter was in the county's Tsogo township, where approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometer radius.
As of 1 pm on Tuesday, there had been 16 aftershocks of magnitude 3 and above, including 13 with magnitudes between 3.0 and 3.9 and three with magnitudes of 4.0 and above, the report said.
After the earthquake, the China Earthquake Networks Center organized experts to conduct research.
According to experts, the earthquake was an energy release within a Lhasa block on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Since 1950, the Lhasa block has experienced 21 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or higher, with the largest being the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the region’s Mainling city in 2017, the report said.
LHASA -- Rescuers are braving freezing temperatures in combing through rubble in their search and rescue of survivors after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted a county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.
Fifty-three people have been confirmed dead, and 62 others injured as of Tuesday noon, after the quake jolted Dingri county in the city of Shigatse at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time).
The earthquake was distinctly felt in the county, Tashi Dondrup, the county head of Dingri told Xinhua.
The epicenter was located in Tsogo township of Dingri. The 6.8-magnitude earthquake is the strongest tremor recorded in the county during the past five years.
The quake hit at a depth of 10 km, according to a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Center.
According to a weather forecast from China's National Meteorological Center, the temperature in Dingri county on Tuesday would range from minus 18 degrees Celsius to zero.
Official data shows that Dingri county has a population of over 60,000 people, and approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-km radius of the epicenter. A preliminary survey revealed that more than 1,000 houses had sustained varying degrees of damage. Some of these houses have been reduced to rubble.
ALL-OUT RESCUE UNDERWAY
The first batch of rescuers started rescue work as soon as they arrived in Dingri county, China's firefighting authorities said.
As of 11:40 am, over 1,500 local firefighters and rescue workers had been dispatched to the affected areas.
In view of the severity of the disaster, the China Earthquake Administration launched a level-II emergency response and sent a work team to the site to assist with local disaster relief efforts.
The office of the State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management also initiated level-III emergency responses for earthquakes on Tuesday.
Some 22,000 disaster relief items, including cotton tents, cotton coats, quilts and folding beds, together with special relief materials for high-altitude and frigid areas, have been dispatched by central authorities to the quake-hit region.
Shortly after the earthquake, the Chinese military sent a drone to survey the epicenter area, the People's Liberation Army Western Theater Command said.
Meanwhile, the theater command's air force immediately activated a disaster relief emergency plan, organizing multiple transport aircraft, medical planes, helicopters and ground forces to stand by.
As of 3 pm on Tuesday, a total of 95 individuals have been confirmed dead and 130 others injured following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am on Tuesday, according to a news briefing conducted by the county's authorities on the ongoing rescue efforts.
During the news conference, all attendees stood up and observed a moment of silence to honor the victims.
The earthquake's epicenter was situated in the county's Tsogo township, where approximately 6,900 residents lived within a 20-km radius, encompassing approximately 27 villages.
LHASA -- A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, at 9:05 am Tuesday, with a depth of 10 km.
The epicenter was located in Tsogo township, with approximately 6,900 people living within a 20-km radius. This area includes about 27 villages.
Dingri county lies on the northern slope of the Himalayas, bordering Nepal to the south. With an average altitude of 4,500 meters, it is located near the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak.
Nearly 90 percent of the county's land is part of the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, which draws global attention due to its unique ecological environment.
Dingri is home to the Qomolangma Atmospheric and Environmental Research Station, operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Following the earthquake, the station's facilities are reported to be in good condition.
The county seat is located 243 km from the city of Shigatse. Spanning about 13,860 square km, Dingri county has 13 townships and 180 administrative villages, with a 181-km-long borderline.
With a population of over 60,000, the county is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang.
Dingri county has a plateau temperate semi-arid monsoon climate with an annual average temperature ranging from 2.8 to 3.9 degrees Celsius.
The weather forecast showed that the temperature at Dingri went from minus 18 degrees Celsius to zero on Tuesday.
Following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region at 09:05 am on Tuesday, the Mount Qomolangma (Everest) Scenic Area has been completely closed, Fengmian News reported.
According to public information, Dingri county is a must-pass route to Mount Qomolangma and the closest stopping point for mountain climbers and tourists heading to the world's tallest mountain.
There are two Qomolangma base camps in China, both located in Dingri county, one in the west slope base camp in the Tashigang township and the other in the east slope base camp in the area around Gamagou in Chudeng township.
A staff member at the Mount Qomolangma Scenic Area stated that tourist sightseeing vehicles which planned to visit the Mount Qomolangma area have ceased operations, and the scenic area has been completely closed, as reported by Fengmian News.
It will reopen based on the situation after the aftershocks. He mentioned that the county's power supply has not fully recovered, and specific casualty data is still being compiled, it reported.
Currently, there are three tourists in the Mount Qomolangma Scenic Area who have been safely relocated to open outdoor areas for emergency shelter.
According to a livestream by Xiaoxiang Morning News at around 11:30 am on Tuesday morning, the quake affected surrounding areas felt multiple aftershocks, and with a 4.4 magnitude quake has been strongest aftershock thus far, it said.
As CCTV reported, a strong earthquake was felt in the Kathmandu Valley on Tuesday morning as well.
Rescue and relief efforts are underway to assist those affected by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the Dingri county of Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.
According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co Ltd, following the earthquake, a train on the Lhasa-Shigatse section of the railway, the C885, has been halted.
According to the company, the epicenter of the earthquake is about 158 kilometers from the West Shigatse Railway Station of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway.
After the earthquake, the company quickly initiated an emergency response, unified deployment, organized in an orderly manner, and immediately blocked the railway line from Karu to Shigatse, halting the C885 train at the Jieqiong Station.
At the same time, the departments of infrastructure, signal, power supply, construction and others organized a comprehensive inspection of the railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, culverts, signals, power supply, buildings and other equipment in the relevant sections.
Due to the earthquake, the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway suspended the operation of the C886 passenger train from Shigatse to Lhasa on Tuesday. To meet the travel needs of passengers, an additional C924 passenger train from Shigatse to Lhasa was put into operation not long after.
Meanwhile, the road maintenance department of the Dingri county immediately dispatched all personnel to inspect potential hazards after the earthquake, according to People's Daily.
The region's road system promptly conducted self-inspection actions, with no casualties reported in its nine maintenance sections under the Shigatse highway industry and emergency support center.
There were minor cracks in houses in the Gyalze and Lhaze sections. Currently, all maintenance sections under the Shigatse highway industry and emergency support center have dispatched all personnel to conduct post-earthquake inspections on roads and important structures.
President Xi Jinping has urged all-out rescue efforts to minimize casualties following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday.
In an instruction made on the disaster, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged efforts to properly resettle the affected people and ensure they are safe and sheltered in the cold winter.
The earthquake took place at 09:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was reported to have claimed 53 lives by press time.
LHASA -- Fifty-three people have been confirmed dead, and 62 others injured as of Tuesday noon, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in the city of Shigatse in Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time).
BEIJING -- The Chinese military has sent a drone to survey the epicenter after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Shigatse in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command.
It said the theater command's air force immediately activated a disaster relief emergency plan, adding that a team of transport and medical planes, helicopters and ground forces is on standby to assist with disaster relief.
The Western Theater Command has dispatched staff to the affected area to coordinate rescue efforts.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the People's Armed Police Force Xizang Contingent had deployed over 400 officers and soldiers to the earthquake-stricken area for rescue operations.
Additionally, approximately 2,000 officers and soldiers from the PLA and armed police stationed in Xizang are on standby to provide reinforcements.
A total of 95 people have been confirmed dead and 130 others injured as of 3 p.m. Tuesday after the earthquake jolted Dingri county in the city of Shigatse.
Update:
Xi urges all-out rescue efforts in quake hit Xizang
53 dead, 62 injured in Xizang 6.8-magnitude quake
Chinese military sends drone to aid quake rescue in Xizang
Xizang experiences largest quake in 5 years
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region at 09:05 am on Tuesday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
The epicenter was monitored at 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, said a report issued by the CENC.
According to the center's rapid report catalog, within 200 km of the epicenter, there have been a total of 29 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or above in the past five years, with the current earthquake being the largest.
There are seven villages located within a 5 km radius around the epicenter, it said.
The epicenter is 34 km from Dinggye county, 36 km from Dingri county, 164 km from Shigatse city and 379 km from the regional capital Lhasa.
House collapses were reported in the affected areas including Dramso, Chulho and Tsogo, and communication and electricity in some areas have been cut off. The region's fire and rescue has launched emergency response, mobilizing 10 rescue teams with 337 personnel, 75 vehicles and four search-and-rescue dogs, CCTV reported.
Tashi Dundrub, head of Dingri county, told Xinhua that local authorities have deployed resources from transportation, water conservation and village administration departments to aid rescue efforts. Evacuations have also been organized to protect residents from potential aftershocks, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Liu Boqian contributed to this story.
