The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck “Shigatse”, in the autonomous region of “Xizang” (Tibet) in southwest China, now stands at 126 dead and 188 injured, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua this Tuesday.
Civil protection teams extracted more than thirty additional bodies from the rubble of destroyed buildings. Debris and rubble litter the streets, and many people still remain trapped under the ruins, according to local authorities.
The region, particularly isolated, was shaken by dozens of aftershocks, making relief operations even more complex.
Xinhua also reported that at least 188 people were injured, while China Central Television said more than 1,000 homes were destroyed in the arid and remote area.
Faced with the scale of the disaster, the Western Theater of Operations Command quickly activated an emergency plan. Transport planes, medical devices, helicopters and ground forces are on alert to assist in the rescue effort.
At the same time, a special team was sent to the site to coordinate rescue efforts. The People’s Armed Police unit has deployed more than 400 officers and soldiers to the disaster areas, while nearly 2,000 armed soldiers and police stand ready to provide reinforcements.
The Chinese authorities had announced in a previous report 95 dead and 130 injured. With the intensification of searches, this figure could increase further in the coming hours.
