Home / China / Local News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Lhasa riot causes over 300 injured, US$28m in loss
Adjust font size:

About 325 people were injured in the violence in Lhasa on Friday, and damage has increased to more than 200 million yuan (about 28 million U.S. dollars), latest counts by the Tibetan regional government show.

The losses include 100 million yuan in shops, 6.5 million in public facilities, 9.05 million in financial services and the rest in government agency buildings, according to the latest tally.

The eruption of violence has damaged 422 shops, six hospitals, seven schools and 120 civilian residences. Eighty-four vehicles were torched.

Thirteen innocent civilians were burned or stabbed to death in the unrest on Friday, said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region government on Monday.

Sources with the government said that by 10 p.m. on Wednesday, 170 people have turned themselves in to police for their roles in the riot.

Following the turmoil, the Tibetan region's foreign affairs office has suspended issuing travel permits to foreigners starting from Monday. Tour groups are still allowed to travel to Tibet, but the region's tourism bureau suggested they postpone travel plans due to facility damages.

Vigorito Carlo, an astrophysics researcher who works for the Institute of High Energy Physics in Yangbajain in Tibet, flew into Beijing from Lhasa on Wednesday night. He said he had planned to stay in Lhasa until March 29th, but had to cut his trip short.

"The city is calm now, but my families were still worried. I will come back to Yangbajain next year," he told Xinhua at Beijing airport.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 20, 2008)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous
China Archives
Related >>
- Riots in Tibetan-inhabited areas were closely linked with Lhasa unrest
- Lhasa's situation basically under control
- 105 Lhasa rioters surrender to police
- 61 police injured in Lhasa riot
- 13 civilians burned or stabbed to death in Lhasa riot
Most Viewed >>
- Air China trains Olympic flight attendants
- Photo gallery of Lhasa unrest
- Space observatory set up on Dome Argus