At 9:05 AM Beijing time on January 7, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Dingri county of Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region, at a depth of 10 kilometers. As of 12:00 PM on January 8, the earthquake had resulted in 126 fatalities and 188 injuries in Dingri County.

Why are the casualties so high?

Dingri County is situated in the southwestern part of Shigatse City, at the base of Mount Qomolangma (known as Everest in the West). The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Cuoguo Township, just a few dozen kilometers from the Qomolangma Base Camp. About 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometer radius of the epicenter. The three townships most severely affected by the earthquake—Changsuo, Cuoguo, and Quluo—are all within this 20-kilometer zone.

The earthquake has caused significant casualties for two main reasons: First, the intensity of the earthquake near the epicenter may have reached level 8, which caused strong destructive forces. Second, there are many villages near the epicenter. Most local houses are made of earth, stone, and wood and buildings are poorly resistant to earthquakes. After the earthquake, the heavy roofs which are often reinforced and stone walls collapse, making it more difficult for residents to escape. Furthermore, the epicenter lies on a sedimentary delta with loose soil, which amplified the earthquake's effects.

The earthquake struck a high-altitude, cold region. The average altitude within a 10-kilometer radius of the epicenter is around 4,471 meters, with temperatures currently dropping below minus 10°C. This severely hampered rescue efforts.

Rapid Response in Rescue Efforts

The first 72 hours, often referred to as the "Golden 72 Hours," are critical for rescue operations following a geological disaster. As a result, rescuers acted swiftly to search for survivors without delay.

On January 7, the National Development and Reform Commission urgently allocated 100 million yuan in central government funds to support post-disaster emergency recovery efforts in Xizang. The funds will focus on the restoration of damaged roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and other public infrastructure in the affected areas.

10 minutes after the earthquake: A disaster relief plane was deployed to assess the damage.

15 minutes after the earthquake: A rescue team of 75 personnel from the Xizang Forest Fire Brigade in Shigatse, along with six vehicles, was mobilized and assembled. Teams from the Shigatse Brigade, Special Operations Brigade, and Nagqu Brigade, consisting of 15 people and three vehicles, began advancing toward the epicenter.

1 hour after the earthquake: The first batch of over 200 soldiers from the Xizang Military Command were dispatched to reinforce Changsuo Township. Two helicopters from an aviation regiment took off for aerial reconnaissance, while a second batch of over 1,500 personnel and six helicopters prepared to be deployed.

4 hours after the earthquake: Rescue workers found a man trapped in Gulong Village, Changsuo Township.

9 hours after the earthquake: Mobile communication signals in Cuoguo, Changsuo, and Quluo Townships were fully restored.

12 hours after the earthquake: Forty tents were erected at the temporary shelter site in Cuoguo Township.

13 hours after the earthquake: Power was restored in Dingri County's urban areas and in Xiege'er Town, Gangga Town, Jiacuo Township, Rongxia Township, Zhaxizong Township, Changsuo Township, and Kema Township.

Transition to Resettlement in Emergency Relief

A total of 14,668 personnel, including military, police, fire, forest firefighting teams, border control officers, as well as volunteers, have been mobilized for earthquake relief efforts. As of now, 407 trapped individuals have been rescued.

A total of 26 medical teams, comprising 581 personnel, along with 107 ambulances, have been deployed to provide medical care and transport. All injured individuals have been treated, with one critically injured person transferred to a regional hospital for further care.

Efforts to repair damaged infrastructure, including roads, power lines, and communication networks, are in full swing. All roads that were affected by the earthquake have now been cleared, and mobile networks and electricity have been fully restored in Changsuo, Cuoguo, and Quluo Townships.

Essential relief supplies, totaling 428,000 items—such as cotton tents, folding beds, quilts, heavy winter clothing, heating devices, generators, stoves, emergency lighting, food, and medicine—along with 81 trucks of fuel, have been successfully delivered to the disaster area.

To support displaced individuals, 187 relocation sites have been established, with 3,705 tents set up to accommodate 46,525 people.