What are the progresses of rescue works and why are there many casualties? Tracking the Five Public Concerns about the Earthquake in Tibet’s Dingri County

On January 7th, at 9:05, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the Dingri County of Xigaze City in Tibet, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. As of 8th, at 12 noon, the earthquake has killed 126 people and injured 188 in Dingri County.

“Xinhua Viewpoint” reporters arrived at the earthquake zone in multiple routes and conducted interviews on issues of public concern.

On January 7th, in the Tulin Village, Quxia Town, Lazi County, the disaster victims moved into emergency tents (photographed by drones). By Jiang Fan, Xinhua News Agency.

Concern 1: What is the situation of the disaster area in the earthquake zone?
Dingri County is located in the southwest of Xigaze City and at the foot of Mount Everest. The珠峰大本营 is only a few kilometers away from the epicenter of this earthquake. The earthquake zone is located in a high-altitude and cold region, with an average altitude of about 4471 meters within 10 kilometers of the epicenter.

At 16:00 on the 7th, reporters arrived at the epicenter of Dingri County’s Cuoguo Township and Changsuo Township, which was the most severely affected area. They saw some houses were damaged, with a large amount of construction materials and rubbles scattered on the ground. The masses had been evacuated to open areas for safety.

When the earthquake occurred, the local residents felt strong shaking. “At first, there was still dark in the sky when the earthquake occurred, and I felt that the lights, tables and chairs were shaking. Then there was a second earthquake, which was even stronger. I immediately ran outside,” said Basang Cairen, a villager from Meiduo Village in Cuoguo Township who is 49 years old. “Some people’s yaku cows were also killed or injured.”

Garsandawa, director of Cuoguo Township Hospital said that after the earthquake, several people were injured, including five severely injured people who have been sent to Dingri County People’s Hospital for treatment.

Basang Ciren, a villager from Meiduo Village, said while cleaning up the ruins of his house: “After the collapse of houses, everyone’s top concern is how to keep warm. The government is sending more tents, quilts and other supplies.”

As of 8th at 12 noon, the earthquake in Dingri County has caused 126 deaths and 188 injuries, with 28 severely injured people transferred to the city people’s hospital for treatment; 3609 households have collapsed houses.

Concern 2: Why are there many casualties?
Why did this earthquake cause many casualties?
Experts from the China Earthquake Networks Center said that since 1950, there have been 21 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above in the Lhasa block, with the largest being a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Milin, Tibet in 2017. This earthquake belongs to an energy release in the Lhasa block.
Li Liang, deputy director of the Special Disaster Relief Rescue Team of Tibet Autonomous Region Forest Fire Brigade, analyzed that there are many reasons for the large casualties in this earthquake. One is that the intensity of this earthquake may reach magnitude 8 in the epicenter area, which has strong destructive power; second, there are many villages near the epicenter, and many local houses are made of earth-rammed walls which are loosely structured and prone to collapse after earthquakes.
Currently, there are already 22 people killed in Gurong Village, Changsu Township. Reporters at the scene saw that military personnel have set up tents for the disaster victims to temporarily live.
At 16:30 on the 7th, emergency personnel from hospitals in Xigaze City prepared carefully to lift out the injured and send them to various departments for comprehensive examination.
The injured person being transported is Cuoguo Village resident Ciwang’s wife who is badly injured. According to Ciwang’s recall, on the morning of the 7th, they were staying at home as usual when their house suddenly began to shake. Before they could run away, their house collapsed. He and his children were not seriously injured, but his wife was hit by a roof beam and could not move.
Currently, Dingri County People’s Hospital is the main county-level hospital that treats disaster victims. On that day alone, it received more than 200 patients and transferred more than 30 severely injured patients to Xigaze City People’s Hospital.

Concern 3: What are the progress and difficulties of rescue operations?
The “golden 72 hours”