As of 3:00 p.m. today, January 7 (Beijing time), 95 people were confirmed dead and 130 injured after the earthquake rocked Dingri district in Xigaze city, China’s Tibet Autonomous Region at 3 p.m. 9:05 am, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Damaged houses after the January 7 earthquake in a village in Xigaze, Tibet Autonomous Region (China)
Dingri district head Tashi Dondrup said the earthquake was clearly felt in the district. This is the strongest earthquake recorded in Dingri district in the past five years. According to a report by the China Earthquake Network Center, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km and the epicenter was in Tsogo town, in Dingri district.
Xinhua news agency cited official data showing that Dingri district has a population of more than 60,000 people and about 6,900 people live within a 20 km radius of the epicenter. A preliminary survey showed that more than 1,000 houses had been damaged to varying degrees, including several that had collapsed into rubble.
Earthquake shook Tibet, many people died in China
First responders began rescue work as soon as they arrived in Dingri district, according to China’s fire authorities. As of 11:40 a.m., more than 1,500 local firefighters and rescue workers had been dispatched to the affected areas, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Rescuers are enduring freezing temperatures to dig through rubble as they search for and rescue earthquake survivors. Temperatures in Dingri district today ranged from minus 18 degrees Celsius to 0 degrees Celsius, according to weather forecasts from the China National Meteorological Center.
Damage in Lhatse district of Xigaze city in Tibet (China) after the earthquake on January 7
About 22,000 disaster relief items, including cotton tents, cotton jackets, blankets and folding beds, along with special relief materials for high altitude and cold areas, were received by agencies. sent by the central government to earthquake-affected areas.
Immediately after the earthquake, the Chinese military deployed a drone to survey the epicenter area, according to the Western Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army.
The air force of the Western War Region also immediately activated an emergency disaster relief plan, organizing many transport aircraft, medical aircraft, helicopters and ground forces to be ready to respond. .
Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued an important directive, requesting maximum efforts to conduct search and rescue and provide medical services to the injured, according to Xinhua News Agency. Mr. Xi also called for efforts to prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle affected people and effectively handle the consequences.
Mr. Xi also emphasized the need to strengthen earthquake monitoring and early warning, promptly allocate disaster relief supplies, accelerate the repair of damaged infrastructure, and ensure response people’s basic needs and ensure a warm and safe winter for everyone.
In addition, Chinese Premier Li Qiang has also called for efforts to quickly check the disaster situation and the level of casualties, organize comprehensive search and rescue operations and minimize casualties, according to Xinhua News Agency. .
