Pasang Tsering, a 49-year-old villager from Metog Village in Tsogo Township, Dingri County, Xizang Autonomous Region, felt a strong shock wave before dawn on January 7.

The lights and furniture in his home trembled with the shock wave. "Then came a second, stronger one, so I dashed outside immediately," he told Xinhua News Agency.

Another villager named Pasang from the same village remarked, "I've never seen an earthquake this big before." He said he saw many people seeking safety in open spaces.

It was later determined that Tsogo Town was the epicenter of this 6.8-magnitude earthquake. As of January 8, 126 people had been confirmed dead and 188 others injured. The earthquake also destroyed over 3,600 houses.

All-out rescue

Dingri County, where the earthquake hit, lies on the northern slope of the Himalayas, bordering Nepal to the south. With an average altitude of 4,500 meters, it is home to the northern base camp of Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. With a population of over 60,000, the county is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang. There are 27 villages and about 6,900 people within a 20-km radius of the quake's epicenter.

The quake struck the county at 9:05 a.m. on January 7, at a depth of 10 km. [All of China operates on Beijing Standard Time, making 9:05 a.m. pre-dawn in some western regions]. Rescue operations commenced swiftly. Within 15 minutes of the earthquake, a team of over 70 firefighters from Xigaze City, which administers Dingri, had assembled and set out for the affected area.

By 11:31 a.m., the director of the China Earthquake Administration led a team to the quake zone. As of 12:30 p.m. on January 7, 389 officers and soldiers from Chinese People's Armed Police Force Xizang Contingent had been dispatched, equipped with rescue tools, and were participating in rescue operations in the severely affected areas.

President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties, demanding utmost efforts to carry out search and rescue and provide medical treatment to the injured.

Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led a team to the quake site to guide the rescue and relief efforts.

The air force of the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army quickly activated its emergency disaster relief plan and dispatched a drone to assess the situation at the epicenter. At the same time, multiple transport aircraft, medical planes, helicopters and ground forces from the Western Theater Command Air Force were assembled and on standby, according to Xinhua New Agency.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 100 million yuan ($14 million) to support disaster relief efforts following the earthquake. Similarly, the National Development and Reform Commission allocated an additional 100 million yuan for post-disaster emergency recovery on the same day, according to Xinhua.

China also deployed several remote-sensing satellites to capture images of the areas affected by the quake, as per the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application.

Xu Xiwei, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geology at the China Earthquake Administration, told the Global Times that rescue efforts in the plateau region are being hampered by unique challenges such as low oxygen levels and altitude sickness. Additionally, the quake-stricken areas urgently require insulated tents to shelter local residents from the harsh plateau climate, following the collapse of or damage to their homes.

Plummeting temperatures, forecast to reach as low as minus 17 degrees Celsius within three days of the quake, further complicate the rescue efforts.

"We will seize the golden rescue period, strive for one more minute, search one more inch of land, and there might be more hope," said Tsewang Palden, an officer with the Lhasa fire brigade. He led his team and other firefighters in a nighttime search for signs of life, assisted by villagers with flashlights.

Equipped with flashlights and accompanied by sniffer dogs, rescuers worked tirelessly through the night after the quake, aiming to save as many lives and assist in preserving property and livestock.

"We often have to rescue with our bare hands," said Wang Kai'en, commander of a rescue team from the Xigaze fire brigade, who noted that the local low adobe houses were at risk of collapse after being cracked by the quake, making it challenging to clear debris with shovels and pickaxes.

Relief efforts

Hong Li, head of the regional emergency management department, announced at a press conference on January 8 that the focus had shifted toward the resettlement of quake-affected residents and post-disaster reconstruction.

Wang Fanghong, Mayor of Xigaze, revealed at the press conference that over 10,000 rescuers had been swiftly deployed for search-and-rescue operations and successfully rescued 407 individuals.

The rescue operation saw participation from over 14,600 individuals, including firefighters, soldiers, police officers and professional rescuers. The Xigaze city government revealed that over 46,500 affected residents had been relocated to 187 resettlement sites, with 3,705 tents established. Wang mentioned that 484 tourists in Dingri, including 13 foreigners, had safely returned to Xigaze.

Telecommunications had been restored in the three severely affected townships near the epicenter by 6:08 p.m. on January 7, as per the Xizang branch of China Mobile. By 10 p.m. on the same day, power had been restored in the county seat and seven townships, illuminating the tents. Inside, many residents lit butter lamps to pray for deceased loved ones and fellow villagers. Health posts had also been established to provide medical services in the area.

To support the local community, additional stoves have been installed for preparing butter tea and tsampa, staples beloved by Tibetans.

The worst-hit Gurum Village, with 222 residents, suffered 22 fatalities, including 11 children, and all houses were damaged.

Forty tents with stoves were erected in two resettlement sites in Gurum Village to provide warmth for evacuees. Each resident received more than two quilts and a mattress, allowing them to spend their first night in warm tents.

By 6 a.m. on January 8, three national and provincial-level roads had been repaired, and two-way traffic had resumed, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Hong Li emphasized at the January 8 press conference that local authorities will continue to enhance earthquake early warning systems, spare no effort in the search and rescue operations to ensure no one is unaccounted for and go all out to treat the injured.

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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