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Following January's 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri county of the Xizang autonomous region, over 21,400 households in 681 villages are in need of reconstruction, with 47 villages requiring complete rebuilding, according to an assessment by the regional department of housing and urban-rural development, Xizang Daily reported.

The department has formed a post-disaster recovery and reconstruction planning and design guidance working group stationed in Shigatse to facilitate the reconstruction efforts. This group collaborates closely with the front-line command headquarters to oversee the reconstruction work.

The department has deployed nearly 1,000 professionals from seven survey and design units around the country, including the Design Institute of Tongji University and the China Southwest Geotechnical Investigation & Design Institute, to expedite site selection, planning and design work.

These experts are also tasked with finalizing the comprehensive post-disaster recovery and reconstruction plan.

Shigatse's housing and urban-rural development bureau ensures that the construction of residential buildings adheres to standards, with sizes ranging from a minimum of 80 square meters to a maximum of 260 square meters. For reconstruction on the original sites, agricultural production facilities are preserved around the residential areas, respecting the village's original land area.

Furthermore, relevant industry departments are coordinating infrastructure projects such as transportation, water conservancy, communications and power grid construction to support the reconstruction efforts.

LHASA -- Two months after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri county, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, thousands of children were able to return to class to start the new semester, as builders raced against time in conducting reconstruction work.

Students from the 79 schools affected by the earthquake resumed classes as scheduled on Wednesday, together with all other students in the city of Shigatse, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

These 79 schools in the county suffered various degrees of damage during the quake, which claimed 126 lives back in January. Among these, 76 schools have met safety standards after being repaired and reinforced.

Meanwhile, a trio of primary schools in three severely-shattered townships in Dingri require complete reconstruction. These schools transferred 1,479 students to four other sites for the start of the new semester this week.

Li Benfeng, deputy director of the education bureau in Dingri, said the county's Party school, serving as one of the temporary sites, is providing six classrooms -- thereby accommodating over 220 primary school students and enabling them to start the semester on time.

"Each of us was given not only new textbooks but also backpacks, bedding and stationery," said Pasang Tsering, a grade-six student attending classes at the Party school venue.

Chimed, deputy director of the municipal education bureau of Shigatse, said school teachers were mobilized to return to school in advance to assist in cleaning and school-opening preparations.

"During the new semester, teachers will provide psychological support for students -- aiming to alleviate fear and anxiety caused by the earthquake," she said.

On Monday, the reconstruction of eight villages severely affected by the earthquake was launched, marking the start of a recovery effort aimed at relocating over 120,000 residents to new homes by the end of this year.

The launch ceremony was held in Gurum village of Dingri following over a month of preparations, with initiatives including debris clearance, risk assessment and housing design.

The rebuilding of eight villages severely affected by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in the Xizang autonomous region started on Monday, marking the start of a recovery effort aimed at relocating over 120,000 residents into new homes by the end of this year.

The launch ceremony was held in Gurum village of Dingri county in the city of Shigatse following over a month of preparations, including debris clearance, risk assessment and housing designs.

Opinions were gathered from residents to help finalize housing designs.

"The threshing ground is shared by several households, and the livestock pens are right next to our homes, making both daily life and work very convenient," said Migmar Tsering, a local villager.

Kang Zhuo, associated with the construction company for the rebuilding project in Gurum village, said the company would prioritize ecological and environmental protection and provide employment opportunities for villagers, ensuring that affected residents can move into their new homes as soon as possible.

Dawa Tsering, Party secretary of the city, said most of the reconstruction will be on the original sites of the villages as per residents' preferences, except for those on the earthquake belt or in areas prone to landslides or floods, which will be relocated.

On Jan 7, Dingri and neighboring counties experienced a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that killed 126 people and leveled thousands of houses.

According to reconstruction plans, more than 120,000 people currently living in temporary shelters will move into new homes by the end of the year.

Xinhua

LHASA -- The Mount Qomolangma scenic area reopened to the public on Saturday after a temporary closure following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake which hit Dingri county, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, in January 2025.

As of 8 am, a total of eight vehicles carrying 19 visitors had entered the scenic area. Yang Bo, a tourist from Southwest China's Chongqing municipality, was the first to enter the area on Saturday.

"I waited in Dingri county last night for its reopening, and I was so excited that I finally got to see Mount Qomolangma," he said.

On Jan 7, a 6.8-magnitude quake struck Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming 126 lives. The scenic area was closed on the same day for the sake of the safety of tourists and staff.

As of Feb 28, Mount Qomolangma had not been affected by the quake, with no obvious icefalls, avalanches or geological changes being observed, according to Ma Weiqiang, director of Mount Qomolangma Atmosphere and Environment Comprehensive Observation and Research Station under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"This shows that the scenic area has the safe conditions necessary for reopening," Ma said.

To prepare for the reopening, the local government formed a joint inspection working group on Jan 22, which took 35 days to carry out comprehensive and meticulous inspections on important locations in the scenic area.

"Only through comprehensive inspections could we ensure the safety of tourists when the scenic area reopened," said Pasang, a maintenance worker at the scenic area.

The local accommodation industry is also ready for the reopening. "All 35 rooms have been cleaned up and half of the rooms have already been booked," said Tsering Geden, a hotel owner in the county's Pasum village.

Last year, the Mount Qomolangma scenic area received more than 547,600 domestic and overseas tourists -- an increase of 18 percent year on year, including 13,700 overseas tourists, mainly from Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and France.

During this same period, the revenue of the scenic area exceeded 110 million yuan (about $15.3 million), up 1.4 percent year on year.

More than a month after a devastating earthquake struck her home county on Jan 7, Kelsang Drolma, a village official in the Xizang autonomous region, still recalls the intense, sleepless nights spent racing against time to relocate villagers and minimize losses.

The magnitude-6.8 earthquake claimed 126 lives and affected multiple areas, including Chukhu village in Mangphu township, Lhaze county, where Kelsang Drolma has worked tirelessly to help residents recover.

She was attending a meeting when the earthquake hit. As soon as the tremors began, she ran out of the hall and tried to call her villagers but found that the communication network was down.

"I couldn't reach anyone. I became very worried and decided to return to the village immediately," she said.

On her way back, many villagers working in distant locations called her, desperate for news of their families. She reassured them that their loved ones would be fine and promised to update them upon reaching the village.

The road back was strewn with rocks from the quake, forcing her and a township leader traveling with her to clear debris along the way. It took them about 40 minutes to reach the village, where they learned that, fortunately, all villagers were safe.

Two township officials had already arrived ahead of her to assess the situation.

"As soon as I heard the villagers were safe, I felt so relieved," said the 28-year-old.

However, many houses had collapsed or sustained major cracks. Seeing the devastation, some villagers burst into tears, asking her what to do next. "I told them that as long as lives were safe, everything else could be rebuilt," she said, adding that the government and the Communist Party of China would help them recover.

Kelsang Drolma quickly organized relief efforts. She visited households to assess damage to homes and livestock and worked to restore normalcy.

Continuous aftershocks on Jan 7 and 8, along with falling rocks in the mountainous terrain, posed ongoing risks to residents' safety and property.

"After careful planning, we evacuated 42 residents, mostly elderly people and children, to a resettlement site near the primary school," she said.

She arranged for 24 villagers to care for the livestock and set up 10 additional tents with quilts, winter jackets, beds, heaters and other necessities. "Currently, food, shelter and heating at the settlement site are ensured, and residents can sleep safely in the temporary shelters," she said.

Eighteen households were relocated to the township primary school, where 13 tents were set up. There were no casualties or missing persons in the village.

"I was on duty for seven consecutive days with little sleep, which was exhausting," she said.

"But when we visited residents' tents, they would express their gratitude by offering us hot butter tea. That made me feel proud of what we were doing."

Firefighters also played a critical role in rescue efforts.

They arrived in affected areas immediately after the quake, conducting search and rescue missions, clearing debris and helping residents set up tents.

Among them was Dondrub Gyaltsan, captain of the Dingri county branch of the Xizang fire and rescue corps, who led a rapid response team to the disaster zone.

"When the earthquake struck, our brigade barracks shook violently, with tiles falling as we ran downstairs," he said.

He immediately gathered his colleagues and led three vehicles and 19 personnel to the epicenter in Dramso township, Dingri county.

"When we arrived, we saw collapsed houses, immense destruction and people suffering. It was heartbreaking," he said.

Despite the devastation, he quickly organized his team into four search and rescue squads to operate in different villages.

"In Thongley village, I was searching a house when I touched a small foot under a blanket. I realized it was a child," he said.

"When I carried her out, she was so light, but my heart felt so heavy. I have two daughters of my own."

After handing the child's body to her mother, he could offer only a few comforting words before moving to the next site.

In another house, his team found an elderly man who had been killed by a falling metal beam. Using hydraulic cutters, they freed his body and returned it to his family.

Over the following days, Dondrub Gyaltsan's team helped residents retrieve valuable belongings from damaged homes.

"Once they had salvaged their items, the villagers, covered in sweat, expressed deep gratitude for our help," he said.

"We always do our best to conduct search and rescue operations and support affected residents."

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn

The local government and education department in Dingri county of the Xizang autonomous region have been working hard to ensure that schools in quake-affected areas can resume classes as scheduled for the upcoming spring semester in 2025, Xinhua News Agency reported.

In the wake of the recent 6.8-magnitude earthquake, the county has formulated and implemented a comprehensive resettlement plan for affected schools to provide a safe and suitable environment, according to recent statements from the education bureau in Dingri.

After the quake, authorities conducted a thorough assessment of the safety of school buildings at three primary schools and 10 kindergartens, which showed three primary schools had potential safety hazards. Thus, over 1,400 students from these schools were transferred to study at the county seat.

It has allocated 36 classrooms and set up 125 prefabricated student dormitories to accommodate the displaced students. Three student canteens and 58 faculty dormitories have also been planned to support the school community.

In early January, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in the city of Shigatse, claiming 126 lives and leveling thousands of houses. Many surrounding counties, including Lnaze, were also affected.

A series of relief actions have been carried out rapidly in the quake-hit areas. Normal life has been restored at resettlement sites with temporary housing, water and electricity supply, as well as access to phone and internet services.

LHASA - Over 7,000 makeshift houses have been set up since an earthquake jolted Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region in early January, wrapping up construction of transitional housing for the affected people, local authorities said Friday.

According to the local disaster relief headquarters, the county has set up 7,733 makeshift houses and 9,941 tents, providing shelters for 47,787 affected residents.

Additionally, there are 10,772 residents in the county whose homes were slightly damaged. These houses have passed risk assessments and safety inspections, allowing residents to continue living in them without the need for temporary shelters.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in the city of Shigatse on Jan 7, claiming 126 lives and leveling thousands of houses.

A truck loaded with supplies navigated the winding roads of the Xizang autonomous region, stopping in village after village in Lhaze county to distribute much-needed aid following the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on Jan 7.

The truck was part of a grassroots effort led by a group of Tibetan college students, all around 20 years old, from Dranang county in Lhokha city, Xizang, studying at universities across China.

Dekyi Drolma, the initiator and a 21-year-old student at Nanjing University, felt compelled to act.

She wasn't alone. Her friends studying in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces joined her without hesitation, forming a dedicated team. Together, they organized the donation campaign, forging a grassroots operation driven by determination and compassion.

Social media became their most powerful tool. Using WeChat and Douyin, the students shared a post with details of their campaign, including personal identification and student cards, to establish trust and ensure transparency. They selected Lhaze, a severely affected area as the focus of their aid, coordinating with locals to understand the most urgent needs.

Their efforts quickly gained momentum. Five WeChat groups amassed nearly 1,000 members who contributed donations in full swing. Within days, the students raised over 106,000 yuan ($14,632) online and an additional 37,020 yuan from two villages and a construction company in Dranang.

The team began to purchase supplies at dawn on Jan 9. Led by Dekyi Drolma, the team traveled to Lhasa, the regional capital, to procure their supply list, including warm clothing, hygiene products, canned food and solar-powered flashlights — prioritizing essentials for the harsh winter, especially for children and women. The next day, they delivered the resources to Mangphu township.

"I felt comforted seeing children put on new boots. Their smiles showed that our efforts made a difference," said Dekyi Drolma.

The team distributed supplies based on local needs, receiving heartfelt gratitude from residents. For families who lost loved ones, they provided comfort and support through financial donations.

As the campaign came to an end, the students visited temples in Dranang on Jan 13 to pray for the earthquake victims.

The operation was not without challenges. Securing a truck, coordinating volunteers and traveling day and night along treacherous mountain roads were daunting tasks. Each member took charge of specific responsibilities to ensure the campaign ran smoothly.

Pema Sodron, a team member and student at Southwest University, shared that they never expected their efforts as students to inspire so many people from diverse regions and walks of life. Their actions united local truck drivers, volunteers and donors, many of whom offered their time and resources.

"Every small act contributes to something greater. I believe Xizang will recover from the earthquake soon," she said.

Guo Yanqi contributed to this story.

BEIJING, -- After a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Southwest China's Xizang earlier this month, two categories of drones were among the first "rescuers" to arrive at the epicenter.

While Wing Loong-2H, a large fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), flew over a vast expanse of hard-to-access areas in search of toppled houses and trapped people, smaller multi-rotor drones were activated to conduct dragnet searches, deliver supplies and shine torchlight to assist overnight rescue efforts.

The rescue operation saw 407 trapped individuals taken to safety within 24 hours after the quake occurred on the morning of Jan 7. In total, this earthquake killed 126 people and left 337 others injured.

This was the latest instance of China's massive deployment of UAVs in response to a disaster or other dangerous situations -- an initiative praised both for saving lives and protecting rescuers from harm.

"In the past, when emergencies like earthquakes and landslides occurred, we power company workers needed to set up lighting to facilitate nighttime rescue operations, which required arranging wires, erecting poles and hanging emergency lights. The entire process took 1 to 2 hours," said Wang Xia, an engineer with the power supply company of the city of Qianjiang in Central China.

"Now, however, we only need to fly a portable drone equipped with lights. This buys precious time for the rescue," Wang added.

The UAV has made a name for itself in serving China's earthquake rescue efforts since the devastating Wenchuan earthquake of 2008, when drones sent back precious images of quake-hit areas. Technological advances in recent years, combined with falling prices, have resulted in the wider use of UAVs in emergency scenarios.

According to the National Fire and Rescue Administration, Chinese fire fighters have been equipped with 14,586 UAVs, including fixed-wing drones and multi-rotor drones, which have played an "irreplaceable role" in response to wildfires, flooding, earthquakes and other geological disasters.

One key opening the way for their large-scale deployment is China's mature industrial chain for drone components and software, which has significantly brought down drone prices, said Li Zhenxing, secretary-general of the low-altitude economy association of the city of Nanning in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The takeoff of China's low-altitude economy has also endowed drones with more powerful AI algorithms and a wider range of supportive devices -- enabling them to perform tasks including dropping fire-extinguishing bombs and tossing life buoys to people in danger of drowning, Li added.

In September last year, when Super Typhoon Yagi unleashed floods in Nanning, enterprises under Li's association sent 38 drones, equipped with high-definition cameras and infrared thermal imagers, to patrol river bands and search for trapped people.

During China's flood season this summer, the domestically-developed Wing Loong-2H has also served as an airborne communication base, providing signals for an area of about 2,700 square km during its three-day mission in a flood-stricken county in Sichuan province, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

New UAV technologies also featured in high-rise fire drills in several Chinese cities in 2024. A drone developed by a Chongqing-based company demonstrated its ability to spray foam and break windows at a height of 200 meters, while navigating turbulent airflow near the blaze.

PUTTING HUMANS IN CONTROL ROOMS

In addition to helping with emergencies, these devices are liberating Chinese workers from grinding labor and dangerous tasks -- putting them in safer control and monitoring positions instead.

UAV inspection and maintenance of the grid, for instance, has become the norm in many mountainous Chinese provinces.

In Northwest China's Gansu province, a fleet of 1,047 drones has replaced humans in conducting patrols of all the power transmission lines of 110 kilovolts or above. UAV inspections now also cover all electric lines of 35 kilovolts or above in Southwest China's Yunnan province, where most of the lines are located in out-of-the-way mountains.

"Grid failures are often caused by flying objects like plastic bags, kites and balloons. To remove them we used to have to climb high, putting us at risk of both falling and electrocution," Wang said. "Now we operate drones, equipped with fire-breathing devices or robotic arms, to do these jobs."

Wang's team of five workers is responsible for the inspection and maintenance of 686 kilometers of lines in Qianjiang. As many grid poles are located far from main roads, Wang used to have to walk several miles a day in an area where temperatures shoot to above 40 degrees Celsius in summer.

Since 2020, the city of Qianjiang has equipped each rural power supply station with at least one drone, which has made human patrols a thing of the past, while also achieving a four-fold improvement in efficiency.

"To be clear, we have not reduced recruitment or fired people since using drones, because we were severely understaffed in the first place," Wang said. "Now, instead of trekking in mountains, we can sit comfortably in control rooms and monitor patrolling drones."

The disaster relief work in quake-hit Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, including makeshift houses construction, supply transportation and debris removal work, have been accelerated to better meet the needs and improve the living conditions of the residents.

The survivors of the earthquake in the Xizang autonomous region are being provided with transitional housing, according to Wei Jun, deputy director of the region's emergency management department. Wei spoke at a news conference in the regional capital, Lhasa, on Thursday.

Since the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, 13,000 sets of prefabricated houses have been collected. Of these, 6,135 have already been delivered to the disaster areas, and 5,152 have been set up and are now occupied. The remaining units are in transport, Wei reported.

The regional Party committee and government are focusing on ensuring the resettlement and safety of those affected by the disaster. Detailed inspections are underway to identify safety risks and protect the properties of those impacted.

Wei also noted that authorities have quickly assessed disaster losses and are taking measures to ensure the well-being of the community during the winter months.

To address the challenges posed by the high altitude and low temperatures in the earthquake-stricken areas, the region's earthquake relief headquarters has rapidly transported and distributed various relief materials.

The latest statistics from the department show that the donated supplies include 9,525 electric stoves, over 40,000 electric blankets, 759 metric tons of fuel, more than 259,700 blankets, over 180,000 cotton clothes, and 560 tons of reserved food and oil.

Relevant departments have acted swiftly to inspect safety risks in the disaster areas. The region's department of natural resources has completed emergency geological hazard inspections in 76 towns across seven quake-affected counties: Dingri, Dinggye, Lhaze, Sa'kya, Ngamring, Gampa and Saga. These inspections revealed 1,851 geological hazard points.

Additionally, the region's housing and urban-rural development department organized 123 professional institutions with 557 experts and technicians to inspect and assess 30,057 rural and public buildings.

The fire and rescue corps has conducted 1,418 mobile fire inspections at resettlement sites, identifying 2,206 fire hazards. Workers have already rectified 1,901 of the problems, with the remaining hazards under correction.

Transportation units have inspected 900 bridges, 47 tunnels and 4,468 culverts, while patrolling 5,596 kilometers of roads. The region's water resources departments have inspected 14 reservoirs, five of which showed localized cracks and other issues.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the PLA and armed police rescue forces have recovered over 464,100 yuan ($63,000) in cash, 1,640 valuable items and 29,466 other items. The region's public security department has salvaged more than 34,600 items and 2.25 million yuan in cash. Firefighters and rescue personnel have also cleared 750 post-earthquake debris sites, salvaging over 60,000 items and 3.24 million yuan in cash.

As of Wednesday, the region's civil affairs department reported that 1.64 billion yuan in donations had been received from various sectors of society, including 1.53 billion yuan in funds and other material donations.

In the aftermath of the devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Xizang, the swift government action to rescue citizens in villages and Tibetan monasteries has ensured the safety of affected residents and helped preserve cultural heritage amidst the disaster recovery.

Tashi Wangla, the deputy commander of the front command of the Xizang fire and rescue corps for earthquake relief in Shigatse, praised the local government's ability to accurately assess populations in affected areas.

"The township level, the village-based official working team, the local police station and the township government had a clear understanding of the local population and could be contacted promptly and accurately," he said.

Guring village of Dingri county is among the most affected areas. By 11 am on Jan 7, just two hours after the quake, the first external support team had arrived. Within the first day, over 1,000 rescuers reached this village of about 200 people, while more than 12,000 responders were deployed across the region.

The quake's impact on Tibetan monasteries posed unique challenges. Tsogo Chode Monastery and the 600-year-old Zombo Monastery suffered extensive structural damage. Local officials, including monastic leaders like Tsewang Rigzin, Ngakwang Tsering and police officer Jamyang Phuntsok, acted swiftly to rescue the monks and nuns.

At Zombo Monastery, they found that most of the residences had collapsed, making it difficult to track the intermittent cries for help. They used mobile phones to determine the exact location of the buried individuals and manually dug through rubble for four hours.

Tashi Drolma, a monastery-based government official, confirmed that although over 80 percent of the monastery's structures collapsed, there were no casualties among the monks. "Thanks to the government, monks have been relocated to a safe resettlement near the monastery, and they were provided ample supplies, including tents, food, and heaters," she said.

"Next, we will begin to rebuild the monastery," she added.

Ngakwang Yontan, one of the 16 monks at Tsogo Chode Monastery, has been practicing his religion here for more than 20 years. He was in his house when the quake struck.

"Houses were shaking violently," he said. "Scriptures, books and quilts fell from the shelves, and the walls collapsed. I rushed outside quickly to avoid getting hurt."

"Village officials and monastic officials arrived at the monastery soon after the quake," said the 53-year-old. "They comforted me."

As reported by CGTN, rescue efforts following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake have been praised for their speed and efficiency. Most of the buried were pulled from the rubble within one day.

Local authorities confirmed to CGTN that all casualties from the earthquake had been identified within the first two days, and no missing persons were reported.

"Due to the small population in the disaster area and clear baseline, the search and rescue targets were clear," said Hao Tao, deputy director of the Xizang emergency management department. "The structures of residential houses in the disaster area are relatively simple, and therefore, there are no missing persons."

An oxygen supply cabin designed for high-altitude areas has recently been used to relieve discomfort caused by hypoxia in the quake-affected areas of Dingri county of the Xizang autonomous region, China National Radio reported.

Jointly created by the Xizang branch of China Railway Construction Heavy Industry and the Xizang branch of China Anneng Construction Group, the oxygen supply cabin has greatly improved the working conditions for seismic rescue personnel in high-altitude environments and provided much-needed medical assistance spaces for disaster-affected people.

After the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri one week ago, rescue teams from across the country rushed to the disaster area. The urgency left no time for the seismic rescue team members to adapt to the environment. As a result, some members have experienced altitude sickness.

The cabin can accommodate more than 10 rescue team members at a time.

Li Ruichao, a rescue command staff member interviewed by China National Radio, said he experienced chest tightness, dizziness and other discomforts after arriving in Zingkar village of Dingri. He underwent oxygen therapy in the oxygen supply cabin.

Generally, after staying here for half an hour, one can revive and resume the seismic rescue command tasks, said Li.

Mao Shuai, the communication commander responsible for on-site equipment testing for China Aneng emergency rescue, said that the cabin increases the oxygen content in the human blood and alleviates symptoms of hypoxia. It also promotes metabolism and accelerates fatigue recovery.

The oxygen supply cabin of the high-altitude stations draws on the advanced operating principles of aircraft cabins. Scientific adjustments to internal air pressure and oxygen partial pressure and an efficient oxygen supply system to simulate the air pressure and oxygen content in low-altitude areas can effectively alleviate the discomfort caused by altitude sickness.

Victims of the earthquake in Dingri county, Xizang autonomous region, have moved into the more than 3,500 newly-assembled temporary houses, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

On Jan 7, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming 126 lives.

According to the earthquake relief headquarters of Shigatse city, they have allocated all available resources and efforts to install the temporary boarding houses. Compared with tents, these temporary houses offer better sealing and thermal insulation, making them resistant to fire, wind and earthquakes.

The current main task is to help the disaster-affected people to live in temporary houses as soon as possible, Zhou Yufeng, an official of the headquarters, was quoted as saying by CCTV.

"It is estimated that around 13,000 sets of temporary mobile houses are needed," said Zhou, adding that this figure will be dynamically adjusted as information is gathered.

They have also provided stoves and heaters with the help of donations.

On Jan 7, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Dingri county, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

Currently, local authorities and rescue teams are busy erecting makeshift houses, allowing displaced residents to move from tents to more earthquake-resistant housing.

As of 6 pm, Jan 12, about 2,198 makeshift houses had been installed at various relocation sites in Dingri, in an effort to ensure a safe and warm winter for all.

As resettlement work is advancing, debris removal and property rescue efforts are also in progress.

LHASA -- A total of 3,614 aftershocks had been detected as of 8 am Tuesday since the 6.8-magnitude earthquake which jolted Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region last week, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Most aftershocks were below 3.0 magnitude, the center revealed.

The two strongest aftershocks, one of 4.9 magnitude and another of 5.0 magnitude, occurred on Monday night -- toppling some houses in the county, local authorities said.

"As residents had earlier moved to tents and prefab houses, no casualties have been reported so far," said Tashi Dondrup, county head of Dingri.

On Jan 7, the 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming 126 lives.

Victims of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Dingri county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, are moving from tents to temporary homes with improved living facilities.

Guring village in Dramso township, one of the areas most severely affected, has seen 80 temporary homes constructed just two days after the earthquake struck on Jan 7. All 200 villagers moved into these homes on Sunday, said Tsering Phuntsok, Party secretary of Guring.

Compared with tents, the homes offer better sealing and thermal insulation, making them resistant to fire, wind and earthquakes. Equipped with heaters and stoves, indoor temperatures can reach 20 C, a much warmer option in an area where temperatures can drop to as low as — 18 C at night.

The 18-square-meter homes on unused farmland are also a big upgrade from the tents the survivors were using.

"The shelters are warmer and safer. Villagers feel more at ease facing aftershocks. There are beds, tables, electricity, Wi-Fi and television," Tsering Phuntsok said.

Nearby, there is access to tap water and public restrooms. Military personnel provide three meals a day for residents, and volunteers distribute food. Some locals also cook for themselves, Tsering Phuntsok said, adding that the tents are now being used to store supplies.

The earthquake, which struck the region that is home to Mount Qomolangma — known as Mount Everest around the world — has left 126 dead and hundreds injured. Disaster-relief efforts are currently focused on relocating affected villagers and initiating post-disaster reconstruction, according to local authorities. Approximately 47,500 people are now living in 224 resettlement sites after more than 3,600 houses collapsed.

As of 6 pm on Sunday, around 2,200 temporary homes have been built. Available supplies include quilts, blankets, heating equipment, winter clothing, lighting facilities, rice, flour, oil, meat, vegetables, fruit, drinks and forage grass.

Fan Lin, director of the disaster-relief department of the Red Cross Society of China Yunnan Branch, said his team had transported 200 mobile restrooms to the earthquake-stricken area.

"The restrooms are easy to clean and suitable for use in high-altitude regions. They also help with epidemic control," he said, adding that they can serve about 10,000 people.

Previously, many victims had to relieve themselves outdoors, so the restrooms now provide much-needed privacy, he added.

To maintain sanitation at the relocation sites, Losang Tsering, an official from Phangyi township, and seven colleagues have been voluntarily collecting garbage in Tsogo township since last Tuesday night.

"We pick up trash along streets and dining areas, mainly beverage cans, instant noodle bowls, plastic packaging, toilet paper, water bottles and leftover food," he said.

Each day, five to six small trucks are filled with garbage. Altogether, 6 metric tons of trash have been collected in the past few days.

"We bought gloves and masks ourselves, while brooms and garbage trucks were provided by the township," he said. "Although we work at least four hours daily and sometimes soup stains our clothes, it's satisfying to see the streets clean through our efforts."

To meet medical needs, mobile hospitals have been set up in the disaster areas.

Kelsang Yudron, director of the Xizang Health Commission, said during a news conference on Thursday that the goal is to ensure each resettlement site has at least one medical support team with prominent signage, medical staff, emergency medications and regular medical rounds.

Butruk, a surgeon from Shigatse Tibetan Hospital, said he treated patients with fractures and other injuries at the county hospital's emergency department last Tuesday night. After many patients had been discharged, he shifted to Kyiding village to focus on disease prevention. He also prepares Tibetan medicinal soup for the villagers to help prevent them from catching cold.

Jiang Yaowen, a doctor from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University, said his team brought a computerized tomography scanner in a mobile medical bus to assist at Tsogo resettlement sites.

"Villagers who feel unwell can visit us, and our doctors will determine if a CT scan is needed. We also explain the CT results to them," he said, adding that patients requiring further treatment would be transferred to the county hospital.

Three earthquakes hit Dingri county in China's Xizang autonomous region within a 20-minute period on Monday night, around one week after a destructive 6.8-magnitude quake jolted the county.

This time, a 4.9 magnitude quake was followed by a 5.0 magnitude one, and a 3.1 magnitude tremor followed. The first happened at 8:57 pm followed by one at 8:58 pm and the last one at 9:14 pm, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

A group birthday party for six children was held on Sunday at a resettlement site in the Changkar village of Dingri county, Xizang autonomous region, to provide comfort following the destructive earthquake.

Over 30 children from three nearby resettlement areas also joined the celebration. They sang birthday songs, made wishes and ate cake.

The psychological rescue team of the Sichuan branch of the Red Cross Society of China organized the celebration.

Song Yao, head of the psychological relief team, said the team hoped the party would help the children have a new beginning after the disaster and recover from the upheaval.

Song and his team also organized soccer matches, painting and other activities for children affected by the earthquake in recent days.

LHASA -- On the morning of Jan 7, just 10 minutes after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in Xizang autonomous region, Southwest China, drones were already surveying the site of the epicenter.

Less than 30 minutes after the disaster, the boots of the first rescue and relief teams had hit the ground running in the hardest-hit areas.

By dusk that day, displaced residents had hot meals and sheltered in tents.

Within a week, 224 relocation sites had become temporary sanctuaries for 47,500 people, providing access to makeshift clinics, libraries, and counseling services.

The rapid and considerate emergency response to the tragic natural disaster that occurred in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, often referred to as the "roof of the world," is down to decisions made by China's top leadership to mobilize all resources.

"We will seize the 'golden rescue' time. There will be more hope of life, as we race against time to rescue and scour as many areas as possible," said Tsewang Palden, an officer with the Lhasa fire brigade who led firefighting teams on nighttime search missions.

More than 15,000 rescuers, among them firefighters, soldiers, police officers and professional rescuers, have been deployed to the earthquake-ravaged areas.

Medical teams followed closely behind.

In Chamco township in Dingri, a badly hit area, 56-year-old villager Tashi sustained a head injury from a falling rock. Fortunately, he did not have to wait long for treatment.

"Thanks to clinics set up at the relocation site, I was seen the same day, which meant I could focus my time and energy on taking care of my parents and children," said Tashi.

The disaster claimed the lives of 126 people. As of 9 am on Jan 9, 337 injured had been treated, among whom, 246 had already been discharged from the hospital. Beyond physical wounds, mental health has also been prioritized.

Tan Xiren, one of the members of the emergency mental health relief team from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, came to Dingri on the night of Jan 9 to provide mental health services for rescuers and children.

"We knew that the people were in urgent need of help. So we provide targeted counseling," she said. For children, such measures include activities such as singing, drawing and dancing.

The focus of rescue efforts has now shifted to the relocation of the displaced and post-disaster reconstruction.

Tsering Pingtso, Party chief of Gurum village in Dingri said many concerns he had about members of his community had abated, as all 107 residents were relocated from tents to makeshift houses three days after the earthquake. The village has even reconnected to the Wi-Fi network, a development welcomed by the children, who asked if they could watch a movie.

"Now, four to five people share an 18-square-meter board house with electricity, folding beds, tables and stoves. The villagers will be comfortable despite the winter cold," said the village official, adding that tents previously used for people's accommodation are now used for storing essential supplies and food.

By Sunday, over 1,000 such makeshift houses had been installed at various relocation sites in Dingri, in an effort to ensure a safe and warm winter for all.

Ye Fang and Xu Lu, a newlywed couple from Anqing, Anhui province, have garnered widespread praise online for their courageous response during the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.

According to a report from Xinhua News Agency, on Jan 6, a day before the earthquake happened, the couple visited the base camp of Mount Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West, during their honeymoon and spent the night at a place about 40 kilometers away from the epicenter area, along with their travel guide Xia Bing.

"At around 9 am (the next morning), before we departed for Namtso Lake, our phones received alerts almost at the same time as we felt the jolt," said Ye Fang, the husband. They quickly packed up and set off to leave.

When passing through a village of the quake-hit Dingri county, where houses had collapsed, Ye, who had just retired after serving 16 years in the army, immediately decided to stay to rescue people.

Before more rescue teams arrived, Ye contacted the local police and started to dig and shovel debris in search of survivors after being allowed to participate in the effort. Ye recalled that he and other policemen dug for over 20 minutes to rescue a woman trapped under a layer that was around 50 centimeters thick. But unfortunately, she was found dead when they finally reached her.

While Ye was digging to find survivors, his wife Xu Lu was distributing all the daily necessities they were carrying to local residents as relief supplies. Many villagers were wearing only thin clothes as they hurried to rush out of their houses when the quake came. Xu gave her hat to an injured grandma, a scarf to an infant, and also disinfectants, band-aids, and foot warmers to other villagers.

At the same time, Xia Bing also helped transport injured people at nearby villages.

They didn't leave until more rescuers arrived at the scene.

BEIJING -- Panchen Rinpoche has prayed for areas affected by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, killing at least 126 people.

Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po, one of the most influential figures in Tibetan Buddhism, held prayer sessions during which he and fellow monks chanted scriptures and prayed that all lives in the disaster-stricken areas may soon be freed from calamities and rebuild their homes.

They also prayed for the peace and prosperity of the nation.

Last week, Panchen Rinpoche and around 900 monks from Tashilhunpo Monastery — which has been Panchen Rinpoche's traditional seat — donated money to help those affected by the quake.

Panchen Rinpoche is a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body. He is also vice president of the Buddhist Association of China.

LHASA -- A memorial service was held on Monday to mourn the victims of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region last week.

At 9:30 am, hundreds of people, including government officials, rescue workers and local residents, attended the event in Chamco township, the worst-hit area. They took off their hats and stood in silence for three minutes in memory of the dead.

On Jan 7, the strong earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming 126 lives.

LHASA -- On Sunday morning, at a newly-built resettlement site in the earthquake-struck county of Dinggye, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, children were doing their homework inside warm makeshift houses, undisturbed by occasional jolts of aftershocks and the chilling winds howling through the Himalayas.

In neighboring Dingri county, Tsering Pingtso, Party chief of Gurum village, told Xinhua that he no longer worries about his villagers, as all of 107 people in the quake-hit village had moved from tents to makeshift houses by Friday, three days after the earthquake.

On Jan 7, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, leaving 126 people dead and hundreds injured.

"Now, four to five people share a board house, each with an area of 18 square meters and supplied with electricity, folding beds, tables and stoves. The villagers can now live comfortably during the winter cold," said the village official.

The quake zone, situated at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters above the sea level, is experiencing its coldest time of the year. Keeping quake victims warm is the top priority of the on-site quake-relief work.

After the conclusion of the search for victims, the focus of rescue efforts has shifted to relocation of affected villagers and post-disaster reconstruction, local authorities said.

Within days, 224 relocation sites have been set up in affected areas, accommodating 47,500 people, while 12,730 tents have been erected and 12,043 heating facilities have been installed.

Local authorities and rescue teams have been busy erecting more makeshift houses, allowing displaced residents to move from tents to more earthquake-resistant and warm housing.

The swift decisions made by China's top leadership to mobilize all resources to save lives and support post-disaster recovery are driving the effective relief efforts.

"Each household is allocated with two board houses, plus their previous tents," said Mima Tsering, chief of Gojag township.

People live in the makeshift houses, while the tents are for storing essential supplies and food, he said, adding there are stoves in the houses and people use cow dung and sheep dung they collected as fuel, which is the usual local practice.

Although fast-built, these makeshift houses have good sealing and thermal insulation performance. They also boast certain disaster-proof functions to protect people from earthquakes, fires, wind and rain.

By Saturday afternoon, all the resettlement sites in the epicenter area had been connected to stable power supply. Many settlements in the counties of Dingri and Dinggye have been covered by the telecom network, allowing villagers to watch Internet TV.

As Gurum village achieved full Wi-Fi coverage, children were excited and asked if they could watch a movie.

At the resettlement sites, Xinhua reporters saw the food supplied had changed. It used to be mainly emergency supplies of instant noodles and bread, but now people have rice, flour, cooking oil, beef, mutton and vegetables.

It is not easy to ensure hot meals on the high plateau. Tao Mingjun, Party chief of the Dinggye county, said they have done their best to supply food that caters to the habits of the local people, providing salt, tea, beef and mutton. They also provide cooking utensils suitable for plateau regions, which can overcome the problems of low air pressure and low boiling point of water.

According to the State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co Ltd, after connecting the resettlement sites to power facilities, they are laying power lines to public facilities such as medical sites.

After the earthquake, the central authorities quickly allocated 42,000 pieces of relief materials such as tents, quilts and folding beds. Local authorities dispatched 73,000 pieces of electric blankets, heating stoves, quilts, clothes and blankets, among others. Enterprises, foundations, and philanthropists also provided 350,000 pieces of relief materials to the quake zone.

"No one shall be left out to suffer from hunger and cold here. We'll work meticulously to make sure of that," said Tashi Dondrup, head of Dingri county.

LHASA -- At a resettlement site on Sunday, Tan Xiren handed out paintbrushes, drawing papers and candies to disaster-affected children from the earthquake-struck Qulho township of Dingri county, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

Nyingma Dzong, a 6-year-old girl, was one of the over 80 children at the site. She drew a small tent, a red heart, a sun and herself. Then, she tentatively wrote "Come on Xizang" and "Come on Dingri" in Chinese on the paper.

Tan, one of the member of emergency mental health relief team from the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, came to the county at night of Jan. 9 and has been providing mental services for rescue workers and children.

"We found out that disaster-affected people are in urgent need of help," she said.

On Jan 7, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming the lives of 126 people. As of 9 am on Jan 9, 337 injured had been treated, with 246 of them being discharged from the hospital.

"Many children draw the sun, flowers, and other positive and beautiful things. Through observing their drawings, we can learn their psychological condition and provide them with targeted counseling," said Tan.

Qangga village of Chamco township in Dingri was one of the villages severely affected by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, where 6 people died and most of the houses were severely damaged or collapsed.

Kalsang Dondrup, age 13, and his family moved to a resettlement site the day after the quake. They have since acquired plenty of food, warm bedding and clothing.

"However, people would stay in the tents, and would not like to speak and play together," he said.

Noticing that villagers, particularly children, were avoiding interaction, Song Yao, head of the psychological relief team from the Sichuan Branch of the Red Cross Society of China, and his team organized activities such as singing, painting and games to alleviate the psychological impact of the disaster on children.

One of the activities involved asking people to write down their dreams. Kalsang Dondrup did not hesitate and wrote that he would like to become a football player. Song decided to organize a football match after learning many children's dreams were related to the sport.

At the match at the resettlement site with an altitude of 4,200 meters, Kalsang Dondrup received a football passed by his peer and kicked it through the makeshift "goal," which was space between two stones.

"This has been the happiest day since the earthquake," said the boy.

Later, more children came out of the tents to join the game and adults lingered in the area to watch the match.

"Collective sports and activities are important methods to help children relieve stress after the earthquake," said Song. He added that scientific psychological intervention can help relieve children's negative emotions, and they will apply the experience to other resettlement sites over the next two weeks.

All tents and makeshift houses inhabited by residents affected by the earthquake in Dingri county, Xizang autonomous region, were provided with a stable power supply by Saturday afternoon, according to the State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co.

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Southwest China's Xizang on Tuesday morning, killing 126 people and injuring 337 others. The quake's epicenter was located in Tsogo township of Dingri county in the city of Shigatse.

In the wake of the earthquake, State Grid Xizang swiftly mobilized its resources to ensure affected areas received an uninterrupted supply of electricity, undertaking urgent repair and restoration tasks, a company representative said.

The company deployed over 900 emergency rescue personnel and 112 sets of power maintenance equipment, with a total power generation capacity exceeding 20,000 kilowatts, to the earthquake-hit areas.

Approximately 75,000 pieces of emergency rescue equipment were also urgently allocated to the sites in greatest need.

Venturing into the heart of the disaster zone, the State Grid Lhokha Power Supply Co, the Lhokha city branch of the State Grid, embarked on a mission to restore power to villages such as Changkar and Thongley, part of Dramso township in Dingri.

Despite harsh conditions and logistical challenges, the dedicated team worked tirelessly to restore electricity to the resettlement sites and provide essential relief to affected residents.

Wang Tianyou, an employee of the State Grid Lhokha Power Supply Co, said he and his colleagues are proud to have contributed to the rescue and recovery efforts for disaster-stricken communities.

"Despite the harsh conditions, including high altitudes, cold temperatures and relentless sandstorms, our commitment to restoring power and providing essential services remains unwavering," he said.

"The earthquake-stricken area is at a high altitude, and it is very cold. In the afternoon, a sandstorm struck the villages, making it difficult to open one's eyes due to the strong winds and dust," Wang said. He added that many of his colleagues have experienced hypoxia, headaches and difficulty breathing.

In recent days, Wang and his team started work at around 8:30 am and continued until midnight. They stayed in tents at night, where tremors made normal sleep nearly impossible.

"Whenever we make small donations, such as giving the children toys or snacks, they are very moved. Sometimes, we all burst into tears together," Wang said.

The State Grid's efforts have not only illuminated the lives of those in need, but also brought a sense of normalcy and hope to a community grappling with the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The resettlement sites in Thongley of Dramso were reconnected to the State Grid's power supply by Thursday afternoon.

Tashi, a 36-year-old villager, said he is able to charge his mobile phone and access the internet thanks to the restored electricity.

"In the first three days after the devastating quake, we experienced the inconvenience of electricity shortages. It was difficult at night because we couldn't see anything. Going to the toilet was hard, as one could easily fall," Tashi said. "The electric heaters in the tents are working now. It's very warm.

"What makes me happiest is that my family is safe. Our nation and society care so much about us and have provided a lot of help. Now, we lack nothing," he said. "I also believe that the government will help us rebuild our houses and support us as we return to our lives before the disaster."

The earthquake was the most severe in the area in the past five years. About 47,500 people are living at 224 resettlement sites after more than 3,600 houses collapsed, local officials said.

Channels for transporting relief materials free of charge to earthquake affected areas in Xizang autonomous region and Qinghai province have been launched by China Eastern Airlines immediately starting Jan 9, the Shanghai-based carrier said.

All the emergency relief materials to areas hit by recent earthquakes in Xizang and Qinghai would be transported via the green transportation channels created by China Eastern free of charge. China Eastern vowed to spare no efforts to provide support in transporting relief materials rapidly and safely to the earthquake devastated areas. A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, and a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Maduo county in the Golog Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Qinghai province on Wednesday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

All the direct flights to Xizang and Qinghai operated by China Eastern would take part in the free transportation campaign as long as official documents of donation agreements and proof of receipts are provided. The validity period of this free transportation will be determined in accordance with the rescue and reconstruction situation of the earthquake affected areas, and for those with emergency transportation requirements, the 24/7 hotline service can be reached at 021-20669334.

Ma Xiaohu's hand-pulled noodle — or lamian— restaurant in Lhaze county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, shook violently after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri county, the epicenter, about 88 kilometers away on Tuesday morning.

Ma packed his stoves, pots, flour, seasoning, thin noodles and bottled water and drove to the epicenter, believing that people in the earthquake-stricken area may need someone to cook for them.

Ma's hometown, Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture in Gansu province, experienced a 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Dec 18, 2023. "We received kindness from all over the country that time, so I also want to offer help to people facing the same difficulty," he said.

Ma and his colleagues arrived at 5 pm on Tuesday in Tsogo township, Dingri. "We wanted to cook lamian, but it's too cold to pull the flour dough, so we boiled water and made instant noodles," he said.

The night temperatures were about minus 18 C. Without shelter, they were very cold, but "seeing the victims enjoy hot soup, I felt happy", he said, adding that the town government provided them a tent on Wednesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Ma said they cooked dumplings for about 8,000 people. On the third and fourth days, they offered thin noodles. The stall was open 24 hours a day, free of charge for villagers, rescue teams and whoever was in need.

Though there were frequent aftershocks, Ma said he didn't have time to worry about them, as a lot of hungry people waited in long lines for food. "Although we are of different ethnic groups and religions, we are all Chinese. We need to unite to get through this," he said.

Ma also received donations such as cotton quilts from a charity organization, but he gave them to children greatly in need of them. He said they would stay there for another four to five days until the victims can cook hot meals by themselves.

The town suffered 14 fatalities during the disaster, with 845 homes collapsing. By Friday, 4,472 people lived in tents at 38 relocation sites, data from local authorities showed.

Next to the tents, some households set fires to cook using stoves, cow dung and vegetables sent by the government.

The earthquake, the most severe in the area in the past five years, claimed 126 lives and injured 337 as of Thursday. About 47,500 people are living at 224 resettlement sites after more than 3,600 houses collapsed, local officials said.

The priority was to improve living conditions in the temporary shelters so that residents could "live a safe and warm winter", Hao Tao, deputy director of the Xizang Emergency Management Department, said at a news conference on Thursday.

At the resettlement camps, residents who lost their homes moved into tents, with heating equipment, winter clothing, hot meals, water, power and network signals offered.

Medics, volunteers, social workers and people from different industries came to the disaster-stricken area to help out those affected.

Nyikyi arrived at Dingri at 10 pm on Wednesday. Upon arrival, she distributed 40 cotton quilts to patients and their families at the county hospital. The following morning, she visited all three townships affected most, donating necessities door to door. She heard requests from the victims, and bought them goods such as kitchenware, bowls, kettles and cotton trousers.

"Their houses collapsed and many necessities were buried, so I bought things they need," she said.

Local doctors in the Xizang autonomous region are collaborating with colleagues sent from other areas around China to take care of patients following the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Dingri county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, on Tuesday morning.

As of 9 am on Thursday, 246 patients have been discharged, with another 91 receiving treatment, according to a news conference held on Thursday afternoon.

Among those in hospital, 19 are in critical condition. Multidisciplinary consultations are being conducted to tailor individualized treatment plans, said Kelsang Yudron, director of the Xizang Health Commission, at the conference.

"Treatment is given rapidly and orderly based on their conditions. Mild cases are treated at the county's hospital, severe cases at a hospital in Shigatse, and critical cases are transferred to regional-level medical institutions," she said.

Forty-five doctors in orthopedics, neurosurgery trauma and other fields were dispatched from areas such as Beijing and Sichuan to collaborate with local medical staff in providing treatment.

Mobile hospitals were set up in the disaster areas. The goal is to ensure that each resettlement site has at least one medical support team with prominent signage, medical staff, emergency medications and regular medical rounds, she said.

"In the next step, we will take preventive measures against secondary illnesses in the high-altitude and oxygen-deficient environment, dispatching mental health teams for psychological counseling and comfort, paying more attention to pregnant women, children and the elderly, and providing targeted medical services," she added.

On Tuesday night, a pregnant woman from Tsa village of the county's Dramso township was transferred to Shigatse People's Hospital, where she gave birth at 7:40 am on Wednesday, marking the first after-quake newborn from the earthquake-stricken area.

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that commerce departments are making all-out efforts to ensure the supply of daily necessities for local residents after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday.

In a statement, the ministry said it has asked key suppliers to increase supply efforts. So far, 743,000 tonnes of daily necessities such as grain, cooking oil, meat and vegetables have been dispatched. An additional 2,000 tonnes of frozen pork, 1,600 tonnes of frozen beef and mutton, and 2,250 tonnes of compressed tea are ready for transport.

Local commerce departments are being guided by the ministry to send emergency supplies of food and goods to help keep people warm. Local catering enterprises are being mobilized to provide hot meals for the affected residents and rescue workers in resettlement sites.

"At present, the stock of daily necessities for the affected region is sufficient and the market supply is stable," the statement said.

His face covered by dust and sweat, his fingernails bloodied and dirty, police officer Dondrub Tsering dug through the debris of fallen buildings with his bare hands to hunt for survivors after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.

The police officer and his colleagues arrived at one of the worst hit villages within half an hour of the quake. By sunset, they had dug out 17 survivors. By 10 am the next morning, 407 people had been rescued from the area, local authorities said.

Located at an altitude of 4,500 meters, Dingri hosts the base camp of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, also known as Mount Everest in the West. Home to over 60,000 residents, it is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang.

Hong Li, head of the Xizang Emergency Management Department, said the earthquake, the severest in five years, had killed 126 people, injured 337 and felled 3,609 houses.

As many as 1,211 aftershocks were recorded, with the strongest one of 4.4 magnitude occurring approximately 18 kilometers from Lhasa block in the southern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which was the epicenter of the quake.

According to Hong Li, the quake hit a high altitude and low temperature area that was economically backward with poor transportation and telecommunication links and power supply.

With temperatures dropping considerably at night, a total of 428,000 urgently needed items such as quilts, blankets, coats, stoves and instant noodles had been shipped to the disaster area, he said.

Shock and fear

When the earthquake struck, Guru Putri was in her home in a village near the epicenter. Her house fell like a pack of cards, but she and her family were lucky to rush out in time.

Some of her neighbors were not so fortunate. And it is that thought of how close she came to death that still frightens her, she told the Southern Weekly.

She said rescuers arrived at the village on Tuesday afternoon and sent the injured to hospital. They also retrieved the body of one of the villagers.

Guru Putri and her family were transferred to the village committee premises, where there is food and water. The wound on her back was attended to and dressed.

Wangyal, 37, said her 76-year-old aunt who lived in a village near the epicenter was killed as she was unable to escape from the second floor of her home on time. Her younger relatives, luckily, managed to cheat death.

The temblor came as a shock to even those who are familiar with the area.

Xi Zhenhua works at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Mount Qomolangma atmosphere and environment observation station. Having lived in the area for 11 years, Xi is used to earthquakes.

Speaking to Shanghai-based The-Paper.cn, Xi said that he felt a small jolt at 8:12 am on Tuesday and received an alert for a 4.0-magnitude earthquake on his cellphone. He and two of his colleagues chose to ignore the warning and went back to sleep.

At 9:05 am, their living quarters was rocked violently and a phone alert stated the quake magnitude was 6.7. With no time to even put on warm clothes, Xi and his colleagues rushed out of the house covered in their quilts.

Thankfully, winter is not peak season for travel to the Mount Qomolangma base camp. As accommodation services in the scenic area shut in October, only about 500 daily visitors make it to the base camp during this season.

A staffer from the scenic area told The-Paper.cn that there were only a few tourists at the camp when the earthquake struck, forcing the visitors to take shelter in their vehicles.

The scenic area was closed temporarily at 10 am on Tuesday.

Local authorities said all 484 tourists in Dingri county, including 13 foreigners, had been transferred to safe places.

Helping hands

According to the Xizang Emergency Management Department, more than 15,000 emergency response personnel are participating in rescue and disaster relief work.

A total of 581 medical workers and 107 ambulances have been sent to treat the injured. As many as 61,500 people affected by the earthquake have been transferred to the 187 settlement centers that have been set up.

Migmar Tsering and four of his colleagues from Shigatse forest fire and rescue station were among the first batch of professional rescuers to arrive at the epicenter by Tuesday noon.

They used their hands to remove fallen rocks and tiles to rescue a woman in her 40s who was trapped under debris. She was found with multiple fractures, and they transported her to safety on a wooden stretcher before she was sent to a county hospital for treatment.

Wang Zhiping, head of the Shigatse forest fire and rescue station, said his team arrived at a village in Dingri county at 1:40 pm on Tuesday. Most of the houses in the area were severely damaged, he told China Youth Daily.

The rescuers shifted more than 300 villagers to safer places. However, the rescued villagers were extremely concerned about their livestock, especially yaks, which are considered valuable assets. So the next task was to rescue the trapped animals. By Tuesday afternoon, over a dozen yaks had been saved.

Zheng Long from the Xizang forest fire and rescue station said they had sent 300 firefighters to three townships near the epicenter. He arrived at a local village at 6:20 pm on Tuesday to find around 85 percent of the village's 76 houses had collapsed.

"One of the elderly women was in great distress because all her four yaks were buried under her collapsed house," he said. "Luckily, we could recover the yaks and other necessities."

Wang Tianyou, who works at the State Grid Lhokha Power Supply Co, said he and his colleagues arrived at a village near the epicenter of the earthquake at 2:00 am on Wednesday.

They immediately started work on reinstating power supply in the village. In two hours, light bulbs were on in 21 tents, he said. More than 300 tents had been illuminated by Thursday afternoon.

An Zhengfa, an official at Thongley village, said that when the quake struck, he could not stand straight as his house was shaking so badly.

When the tremors stopped, he and his colleagues ran toward the village to check on fellow villagers. "Many houses had collapsed and there was dust everywhere, and I realized that something terrible had happened," he said.

After reporting the situation to township officials, he and his colleagues organized other villagers to carry out rescue efforts.

They managed to pull out a villager buried in the debris in an hour, but sadly he did not survive.

The first batch of 15 professional rescuers arrived at the village by 11:00 am. By 1:00 am, three trapped under the debris had been found dead.

Relief equipment and materials arrived on Tuesday afternoon. The rescuers set up tents so that villagers had shelter for the night. The next day, the rescuers began to pull out buried livestock.

Expressing gratitude

Phurbu Tsering headed for Thongley village from Lhasa as soon as he learned that the earthquake had struck his hometown.

"I was extremely worried as I did not know how bad it could be," he said.

He arrived at the village at around 6 pm on Tuesday. Even though his family home had collapsed, those in the house were safe.

Rescuers helped them put up tents and brought them food, clothes and quilts.

"I was deeply moved by how quickly the rescuers came to our help," he said.

Lhagpa, 65, who lived in badly hit Dramso village, said her two-story house collapsed and three of her cows were injured.

The good news was that all her seven family members were safe.

"Government officials, rescue teams and medical workers came to our side at the earliest. They transferred us to a safe place and went on searching for people and livestock one household at a time," she said. "I was so deeply moved."

The young rescuers, many of whom are Party members, are fighting on the frontline tirelessly, and they are the true heroes, she added.

Task ahead

Sun Shihong, a researcher at China Earthquake Networks Center, told Beijing News that a 6.8-magnitude earthquake is not the strongest quake recorded in Xizang autonomous region. There are frequent earthquakes in the area due to the compression from the Indian plate to the Eurasian plate, he said.

Hao Nan, head of Zhuoming Disaster Information Service, a civil disaster relief volunteer group, told China Newsweek the earthquake occurred at 9 am Beijing time, which is about 7 am in Xizang, when many people were still in bed. Moreover, since the epicenter is in a remote area, it took rescuers more time to get to the victims.

Xu Xiwei, a professor at China University of Geosciences Beijing, said Xizang autonomous region is located on a plateau where it is extremely cold with low oxygen levels. It is easy for people living in lower altitude areas to suffer from altitude sickness while participating in rescue efforts. So it was important to engage the local population in rescue efforts, he said.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, presided over a meeting of the nation's top leadership on Thursday to study and arrange concrete steps for quake relief in the Xizang autonomous region.

The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee came after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Dingri county in Shigatse on Tuesday. The disaster has left 126 people dead and 337 injured. It also toppled more than 3,600 houses.

Shortly after the quake occurred, Xi made instructions on the disaster, ordering all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties.

It was noted at the meeting that in the wake of the earthquake, rescue forces, including those from the China National Comprehensive Fire and Rescue Team, the People's Liberation Army, the armed police and centrally administered enterprises, have overcome the challenges of high altitude and lack of oxygen in the quake-hit region and raced against time to search for and rescue trapped people and minimize casualties, with the overall earthquake relief efforts proceeding smoothly.

It was emphasized at the meeting that the earthquake relief work is currently at a critical stage and there must be no slackening. More meticulous efforts must be made to win the tough battle of quake relief, according to the meeting.

While underlining the need to proceed with rescue and post-disaster relief work, the meeting's participants said that medical experts should be organized for consultations to spare no effort in treating the injured.

Efforts should also be made to ensure that the basic needs of the affected people are met, and makeshift shelters and houses are in place to enable disaster-hit people to be sheltered from the cold winter, they said.

They highlighted the need to accelerate post-disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts, with a focus on repairing infrastructure and restoring normal work and living conditions in the disaster-stricken areas as soon as possible.

The meeting's participants also underscored the importance of releasing authoritative information, enhancing the earthquake resistance of houses and infrastructure in key areas, and improving disaster response capabilities.

Local Party committees and governments are urged to earnestly shoulder their political responsibilities, while officials at all levels must stand at the front line of quake relief, and Party organizations and Party members at grassroots level should fully play their due roles, according to the meeting.

Since the quake occurred, foreign leaders and heads of international organizations have sent condolence messages to Xi, or expressed their sincere sympathy in other ways. They spoke highly of the swift and robust rescue efforts made by the Chinese government, and expressed their confidence that under the strong leadership of the CPC, the people in the disaster-stricken areas will surely overcome the calamity and rebuild their homes.

Work reports heard

On Thursday, Xi also presided over the annual meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on hearing work reports from the leading Party members groups of the State institutions — the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature; the State Council, China's Cabinet; the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body; the Supreme People's Court; and the Supreme People's Procuratorate — as well as a work report from the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has heard reports annually on the work of these five leading Party members groups, and a work report of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

This is an important institutional arrangement to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, and must be upheld in the long term, according to Thursday's meeting.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn

LHASA -- A total of 1,211 aftershocks had been detected as of 3 pm Thursday after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, local authorities said.

The largest aftershock had a magnitude of 4.4, and occurred about 18 kilometers from the epicenter of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, according to the regional earthquake bureau. The bureau also noted that 33 of the aftershocks had a magnitude of over 3.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county in the city of Shigatse at 9:05 am on Tuesday, leaving 126 people dead and 188 others injured. A total of 407 trapped individuals have been rescued.

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 is located in the Lhasa block in the 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, 21 earthquakes above magnitude 6 have happened in the Lhasa block, with a maximum magnitude of 6.9, it said.

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 10 am Wednesday, according to local authorities.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn

China had received messages of condolence in various forms from the leaders of 22 countries as of Wednesday morning regarding the deadly magnitude 6.8 earthquake that jolted Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday.

The countries are Russia, Pakistan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Maldives, Japan, Cuba, Venezuela, Serbia, Belarus, Spain, Italy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Oman, Grenada, El Salvador and Uzbekistan.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday that China also received expressions of sympathy from the foreign ministries of countries including India, Brazil, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Bahrain and Iran.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Nurlan Yermekbayev and President of the Central American Parliament Carlos Hernandez also extended condolences.

"We express sincere appreciation for that," Guo said.

In the wake of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, China has launched a comprehensive and rapid response to ensure the timely delivery of aid and the restoration of critical infrastructure.

The Ministry of Transport immediately activated emergency protocols to clear damaged roads and coordinate relief efforts, while Air China played a key role in providing airlift support to the region, ensuring that essential personnel and supplies reached the hardest-hit areas without delay.

By Wednesday morning, all seven affected national and provincial highways had been cleared, with transportation routes restored to facilitate emergency responses. Although rural roads experienced varying degrees of damage, some critical sections in the area have been cleared, enabling emergency vehicles to pass freely, the ministry said.

The ministry swiftly established a dedicated earthquake disaster relief team led by senior officials, focusing on coordinated efforts to clear transportation routes and facilitate relief work. Experts in fields such as bridges, roads, geology and pavements were dispatched to the affected areas to provide on-site guidance for road clearance and post-disaster reconstruction.

Emergency funds were allocated for road recovery efforts, and resources from neighboring provinces and central enterprises were mobilized to support the disaster response. The ministry stated it would continue to closely monitor post-earthquake transportation conditions, enhancing coordination and ensuring comprehensive logistical support.

Air rescue efforts have also been swift. Under the coordinated guidance of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, earthquake relief operations in the civil aviation sector are being carried out smoothly and methodically.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the civil aviation sector planned to operate 21 relief flights, carrying 298 people and 25.6 metric tons of supplies. On Tuesday alone, 11 flights were arranged to support the disaster relief effort: five commercial flights, two military flights, three general aviation flights and one emergency drone flight.

At 2:49 pm on Tuesday, about five and a half hours after the earthquake, Air China's CA4431 flight — the first relief flight after the earthquake — landed safely at Dingri Airport in Shigatse, delivering disaster relief personnel and supplies.

On Wednesday, 10 additional relief flights were expected to deliver 170 people to the affected areas, according to the administration.

The earthquake struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Xizang, at 9:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. As of 10 am on Wednesday, 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 injured.

Steam rising from pots simmering over fires and the cold breath of people huddled together in front of tents at -16 C gave the semblance of life returning to normal in Dingri on Wednesday, a day after the county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, was struck by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake.

Children waited in line for a meal of eggs outside the temporary shelters, while older people tried to put to rest the memories of the disaster, which reduced more than 3,600 houses to rubble, claimed 126 lives and injured many more.

At a relief camp in Guring village in Dramso township, 55-year-old Sangye basked in the sun, holding a prayer wheel and chanting scriptures.

"Natural disasters can't be avoided. Although our house collapsed, my family was brought to a warm tent last night, and we were able to sleep," she said, thanking relief and rescue workers for their untiring efforts to resettle people.

Looking at a new stove her family received as part of relief efforts on Wednesday, Sangye added, "Tonight, we will be even warmer," as she folded her hands in gratitude.

Unfortunately, it was an uneasy night on Tuesday for Penba Norbu, deputy head of Dramso township. He recalled how he felt the strong shaking of his dormitory and noticed walls cracking before he ran outside. The township officials formed groups to check the villages.

When he arrived at Tsa village, Penba Norbu saw a child whose head was bleeding, some people with broken legs and those trapped under the debris of collapsed houses.

Six out of about 464 people living in the village died, but the others were rescued. When a series of aftershocks rocked the area, he sent out a notice on WeChat, reminding villagers to take care and report damage.

Penba Norbu said he felt relieved after the medical and rescue teams arrived, and the villagers were moved to temporary shelters. "There are enough tents and daily necessities. We can get through this," he added.

At a news conference held in Shigatse on Wednesday, Hong Li, director of Xizang Emergency Management Department, said about 12,000 people participated in the rescue and relief efforts, including public security personnel, the armed police, forest firefighters and the military. Together, they rescued 407 trapped individuals, he said.

A total of 187 relocation sites have been established in Dingri and 46,500 people have been moved. The 484 tourists who were visiting the county left the place as of Wednesday noon.

The relief tents are equipped with folding beds, cotton blankets, heaters, generators, stoves and emergency lighting, while people staying there have been provided with coats and warm footwear, besides food and medicine, the official said.

"The area is at a high altitude and is bitterly cold. We need to guarantee basic living conditions for the affected people, keep them warm and help them rebuild their homes as soon as possible," he added.

Hong said that 391 medical workers had been sent to help with the relief work. Among those severely injured, most have head injuries. Others have fractures. The critically injured people have been transferred to Shigatse People's Hospital.

Communication networks and power supplies in the affected area have been restored, he said, adding that the current disaster-relief work will be focused on relocating survivors and completing post-disaster reconstruction.

Tan Xiangdong, deputy director of the Xizang Health Commission, said at the news conference in Shigatse that doctors from Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu in Sichuan province have arrived in the region to treat those in critical condition.

Special teams have also arrived to test water quality, disinfect the environment and promote health awareness to prevent an epidemic, he added.

Meng Hui, deputy director of the Xizang Earthquake Agency, said that as of Wednesday noon, 646 aftershocks were recorded, with the strongest being of magnitude 4.4.

He did not rule out the possibility of more quakes of magnitude 5 to 6 over the next few days.

The focus of disaster-relief work after the recent 6.8-magnitude earthquake at Dingri county of Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, has been shifted to relocating affected residents and conducting after-disaster reconstruction, said Hong Li, director of the Xizang Emergency Management Department, at a news conference held in Shigatse on Wednesday afternoon.

He said intensified work would also be conducted in treating the injured, recovering damaged facilities, monitoring aftershocks and preventing secondary disasters.

A total of 407 trapped individuals have been rescued. Around 46,500 people affected by the earthquake have been transferred to 187 resettlement sites. The 484 tourists at the county have all gone to the city as of Wednesday noon with no injuries, he said.

This earthquake was the biggest in the area over the recent five years. Besides, as the county is located in a high-altitude and severely cold mountainous region, it's hard to prevent coldness, he added.

Residents living at the relocation sites are provided with necessities such as cotton tents, folding beds, electric blankets and heaters, as well as food and medicine.

The rescue efforts in the disaster-hit areas have reached full capacity, advising that unauthorized private rescue groups not enter the affected zones.

Liu Boqian contributed to this story.

LHASA -- No geological disasters, such as avalanches, have been observed so far on Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri county in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, scientists said.

Casualties and house collapses have been reported in Dingri, which is home to the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma.

Mount Qomolangma was not affected by the earthquake, and no obvious icefalls, avalanches or geological changes were observed, according to Ma Weiqiang, director of Mount Qomolangma Atmosphere and Environment Comprehensive Observation and Research Station under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In the wake of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, China launched a comprehensive and rapid response to ensure the timely delivery of aid and restore critical infrastructure.

The Ministry of Transport immediately activated emergency protocols to clear damaged roads and coordinate relief efforts, while Air China played a key role in providing airlift support to the region, ensuring essential personnel and supplies reached the hardest-hit areas without delay.

By Wednesday morning, all seven affected national and provincial highways had been cleared, with transportation routes restored to facilitate emergency response. Although rural roads experienced varying degrees of damage, some critical sections in the area have been cleared, enabling emergency vehicles to pass freely, the ministry said.

The ministry swiftly set up a dedicated earthquake disaster relief team led by senior officials, to focus on coordinating efforts to clear transportation routes and facilitate relief work. Experts in fields including bridges, roads, geology and pavements were sent to the affected areas to provide on-site guidance for road clearance and post-disaster reconstruction.

The ministry also allocated emergency funds for road recovery efforts and mobilized resources from neighboring provinces and central enterprises to support the disaster response.

The ministry said they will continue to closely monitor post-earthquake transportation conditions, enhancing coordination and ensuring comprehensive logistical support.

Air rescue and relief efforts have been equally swift. In line with guidance of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, earthquake relief operations in the civil aviation sector are being carried out smoothly and methodically.

On Tuesday, a total of 11 flights were arranged to support the disaster relief effort, including 5 commercial airliner flights, 2 military flights, 3 general aviation flights and 1 emergency drone flight, transporting 128 people. On Wednesday, it is anticipated that 10 relief flights will be conducted, with 170 people and 25.6 metric tons of supplies being delivered to affected areas, according to the administration.

At 2:49 pm on Tuesday, about five and a half hours after the earthquake, Air China's CA4431 flight, the first flight after the earthquake, landed safely at Dingri Airport in Shigatse, delivering disaster relief personnel and supplies.

On Wednesday, Air China dispatched a special disaster relief flight, CA049, from Lhasa to Dingri at 8:13 am. The flight carried 42 airport support staff for subsequent operations, ensuring full logistical support for ongoing rescue missions. The aircraft landed at 9:10 am.

Air China promptly activated its emergency response plan and established an aviation task force for earthquake relief, focusing on coordinating rescue flights, arranging backup flight crews and managing passenger changes and cancellations, according to the company.

The airline also coordinated with local authorities to ensure sufficient flight capacity to support relief operations in the earthquake zone. In addition to logistical support, the airline arranged for essential resources such as oxygen bottles and meal services for incoming flights.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Dingri county of Shigatse in Xizang at 9:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. By 7 pm Tuesday, a total of 126 people had been confirmed dead and 188 were injured.

LHASA -- Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has stressed all-out efforts to rescue and treat the injured after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the Xizang autonomous region.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, underscored the importance of ensuring that the disaster-stricken people stay safe and warm this winter.

The strong earthquake struck Dingri county in the city of Shigatse Tuesday, leaving 126 dead and 188 others injured by midnight.

The vice-premier 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. He visited quake victims at the rescue sites, temporary shelters and hospitals. He also inspected ongoing rescue operations, repair efforts for damaged infrastructure, and the provision of medical treatment, relief supplies and living arrangements for local residents.

Zhang chaired a meeting on rescue work for the next stage, stressing all-out efforts to continue search and rescue, treat the injured and provide enough heating supplies for all affected residents as the quake-hit zone is located in high-altitude and frigid areas.

He also called for enhancing monitoring and early warning of aftershocks and thoroughly inspecting damaged buildings and potential geological hazards to prevent secondary injuries and fatalities.

Post-disaster reconstruction must be accelerated, the vice-premier said, to ensure that quake-hit residents can move into safe and warm homes as soon as possible.

The Shigatse detachment of the Xizang Armed Police Corps has been racing against time to set up cotton tents in areas affected by the earthquake in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, to ensure a warm winter for quake-affected people, CCTV News reported.

The quake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Dingri county in Shigatse, at 9:05 am on Tuesday, with the death toll of 126 and 188 injuries as of 7 pm.

At a resettlement site in Changsuo township, Dingri county, members of the police officer corps, braving chilling cold, set up tents throughout the night. They worked in an organized and efficient manner: transporting tent materials, fixing the frames and laying moisture-proof pads.

As of 3 am on Wednesday, 580 tents had been set up for quake-affected residents, with sufficient relief supplies, including food, water, heaters, quilts, folding beds and emergency lighting equipment.

Each tent can accommodate around 10 people. Families with children and the elderly can be arranged to stay in the same tent whenever possible. The resettlement site provides quiet and convenient areas for them.

The local power authority is providing electricity to the quake-stricken area through an emergency supply system so that residents can use heating equipment in the tents.

No safety hazards have been identified in both natural and man-made water bodies near the epicenter of the deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

Following the quake at 9:05 am on Tuesday, the ministry activated a Level Ⅳ emergency response, the lowest in a four-tier system in the country and promptly conducted screening operations to assess water bodies and water management facilities in the vicinity of the epicenter, a release issued by the ministry on Wednesday said.

While expert officials were deployed to comb through all areas where secondary disasters may happen, satellite remote sensing images were employed to analyze the potential adverse effects resulting from the seismic event, the ministry stated.

Within a 50-kilometer radius of the epicenter, there are five small reservoirs and five small hydropower stations.

No collapse has happened to dikes of these facilities and no barrier lake was found as well, it said. No structural failures have been reported in the embankments of these facilities, and there have been no instances of barrier lake formation.

The Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport has arranged express passage to personnel and freight transport involved in the rescue and relief work following the earthquake in the Xizang autonomous region.

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake jolted Dingri county of Shigatse in Xizang on Tuesday.

For flights specifically designated for earthquake rescue and relief efforts, the airport management has decided to reduce or exempt certain costs or expenses associated with these flights.

A 13-member medical team from Shanghai took off early Wednesday morning with 7.45 tons of supplies, heading to the epicenter at Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region to assist with quake rescue efforts following the deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday.

Departing from the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on a China Eastern Airlines' flight at 7:00 am, the team consists of 13 experts and medical workers from the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University. They are specialized in orthopedics, intensive care, anesthesiology and neurosurgery, and are set to treat injured persons upon arrival.

Shanghai has been providing paired-up assistance for Shigatse since 1995 and is making prompt responses in offering timely and efficient aid to the region after the earthquake.

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines opened a special green channel on Tuesday night for the rescue team and disaster-relief supplies including cotton clothes, quilts, jackets and sleeping bags. Also, to ensure efficient transportation, the company swiftly changed the planned narrow-body aircraft to a wide-body aircraft with a larger capacity to operate the flight.

Apart from the rescue team, another batch of 36 medical cadres, previously sent to Xizang from Shanghai, will also gather at five counties in the devastated area for aid within two days, said Peng Yihao, deputy Party secretary and executive vice-mayor of Shigatse, on Tuesday evening.

The earthquake occurred in Dingri county at 9:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was reported to have claimed 126 lives and injured 188 people by 7:00 pm on the same day.

A total of 407 people have been rescued from debris after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolted Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday, according to local authorities.

The Xizang autonomous region emergency response headquarters said a total of 14,668 emergency response personnel are participating in rescue and disaster relief works.

A total of 581 medical workers and 107 ambulances have been sent to treat injured people. All injured people have received medical treatment while a seriously injured person has been sent to a hospital in Lhasa, the headquarters said.

The roads that have been damaged by the earthquake have been repaired and telecommunication and electricity in three townships near the earthquake epicenter have resumed, it said.

A total of 46,525 people affected by the earthquake have been transferred with 187 settlement centers established, it added.

The earthquake occurred at 9:05 am on Tuesday at a depth of 10 kilometers. As of 10 am on Wednesday, it has killed 126 people and injured 188 people.