BEIJING: China on Wednesday continued its extensive disaster relief operations following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Xigaze city in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, as the response shifts from emergency rescue to the resettlement of affected people. Analysts stressed the importance of keeping vigilant against secondary disasters, and frequent aftershocks continue to pose a challenge.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 646 aftershocks had been recorded, with the largest aftershock measuring 4.4 in magnitude. The earthquake has caused 126 deaths and 188 injuries, and some 46,500 people have been relocated from affected areas, Hong Li, director of the Xizang regional emergency management department said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Since the earthquake jolted Dingri county on Tuesday morning, many countries and international organizations have extended condolences to China in various ways, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference on Wednesday.
As of 11 am on Wednesday, the Chinese side has received messages of condolence in various forms from leaders of 22 countries including 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, the foreign ministries of countries including India, Brazil, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Bahrain and Iran, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev and President of the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) Carlos Hernández, Guo said. We express sincere appreciation for that, Guo added.
The Xizang region’s press conference also noted that the relief efforts in the disaster area have now transitioned from emergency rescue to resettling affected people. Due to the harsh winter, high altitudes, low oxygen levels and the remote location of the area, the rescue teams are currently at full capacity.
In the past 25 hours, the Communist Party of China committees and governments at all levels in Xizang have mobilized extensive rescue teams to locate trapped individuals, provided medical care to the injured and minimized casualties. Disaster relief operations are proceeding efficiently and systematically, according to a report from the People’s Daily. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
