Over 5,000 makeshift homes have been established to shelter individuals affected by the magnitude-6.8 earthquake that struck Dingri County in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region last week, officials announced on Thursday.
At a press briefing held by regional authorities, it was disclosed that a total of 13,000 makeshift board houses have been secured for the relief efforts. So far, 6,135 units have been delivered to the quake-hit zone, and 5,152 have been assembled to provide immediate shelter.
“Keeping quake-affected individuals warm during the current resettlement stage is our top priority,” said Wei Jun, deputy head of the emergency management department of the autonomous region. The quake zone, situated at an altitude of over 4,000 meters above sea level, is experiencing its coldest time of the year.
The magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit Dingri on January 7, claiming 126 lives. Dingri County, home to the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma, the world’s highest peak, has a population of over 60,000. Within a 20-kilometer radius of the epicenter, there are 27 villages and approximately 6,900 people.
To combat the harsh cold, materials such as electric stoves, electric-heating blankets, and warm clothing have been promptly delivered to those affected.
Meanwhile, water conservancy authorities have inspected 14 reservoirs in the quake-stricken area and identified localized cracks and other risk signs at five of them. Three reservoirs have been drained of water to mitigate potential hazards.
At the endangered La’ang Reservoir in Changsuo Township of Dingri, authorities are increasing the discharge flow to reduce the risk of dam failure. Approximately 1,500 residents from six downstream villages have been safely relocated to nine emergency shelters situated at higher elevations away from riverbanks.
In addition, rescue teams in the disaster area have recovered cash totaling about 6.96 million yuan (approximately $968,000). Donations from all sectors of society have reached around 1.64 billion yuan, including 1.53 billion yuan in funds and 106 million yuan in goods.
According to the regional department of civil affairs, these contributions will be primarily used for the relocation and resettlement of affected communities and to ensure basic living necessities. The department has allocated over 6.63 million yuan in central government funding to Dingri County.
Efforts continue to provide relief and support to the quake-affected residents, as authorities work tirelessly to restore normalcy to the region.
Reference(s):
Officials: Tibetans hit by quake kept warm, reservoir risks stemmed
cgtn.com
