National period of grieving declared for quake victims
Source: Agencies/Shanghai Daily |
April 21, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA ordered flags be flown at half mast and a halt to all entertainment, including online games and sports events, for a day of mourning today to honor more than 2,000 people killed by an earthquake in a Tibetan region of northwest Qinghai Province.
The death toll from the magnitude-7.1 quake in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture rose yesterday to 2,064, rescue headquarters reported. More than 12,130 were injured and 175 were still missing, it said.
Six days after the quake, there appeared little hope of finding more survivors in the frigid conditions.
Hail, snow and sleet hit the high-altitude region yesterday, slowing rescue work and causing delays on the main highway linking the disaster area to the provincial capital of Xining. Some aid-laden trucks slowed to a crawl or got stuck on the icy, winding mountain passes.
Silent time
In Qinghai, officials will commemorate the dead today with mourning ceremonies and three minutes of silence across the province.
Flags will be lowered across the country and at Chinese embassies and consulates overseas, marking one week since the earthquake hit, China's State Council, or Cabinet announced yesterday.
The Ministry of Culture separately ordered online entertainment, including games, music and movie downloads, be suspended for the day.
Live entertainment, such as theater and dance performances were also to be postponed, it said on its official Website.
Sporting events, including several professional football matches and a China Basketball Association playoff final, were rescheduled and a television broadcast of European football was canceled.
Snow continued to fall on the quake zone yesterday.
Brake failures
Since late Monday, roads leading to Yushu have all experienced snow or rain.
In some parts, snow on the road was 4 centimeters deep and in others, ice formed on the surface, said the provincial meteorology bureau.
Vehicles were moving at about 10 kilometers per hour when the snow started, a local newspaper reported yesterday. Brake failures occurred and at least one car overturned.
Local traffic officials said they would put traction mats on main roads and use heavy machinery to break the ice.
Yushu's rainy season usually starts in June and heavy falls could trigger landslides.
While no heavy rain is forecast, meteorologists said drizzle would continue.
Local radio reported that air force aircraft carrying relief goods were delayed on Monday due to adverse weather and low visibility.
The weather over Gyegu, the hardest-hit town in Yushu, would remain cloudy and showers were expected. Temperatures in Gyegu might fall below freezing in coming days, weather forecasters said.
About noon yesterday, a hailstorm swept Gyegu. Amid lightning and thunder, peanut-sized hail fell on the town as quake victims and rescuers were having lunch.
The storm lasted about 40 minutes. Barren land and the tops of the blue tents were soon covered by a thin layer of white.
Gyegu sits on the plateau about 3,700 meters above sea level and more than 80 percent of the houses - mostly made of mud and wood - collapsed in last Wednesday's quake and aftershocks.
Thousands of soldiers, police, medical workers and volunteers have joined the rescue operation.
Three people, including a 4-year-old, were saved on Monday after being buried in rubble for about 130 hours.
Rescuers, using heat sensors, yesterday again found signs of life in the ruins, but there was no immediate report of another miracle.
Rescuers have started the massive resettlement of homeless residents and reconstruction.
The death toll from the magnitude-7.1 quake in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture rose yesterday to 2,064, rescue headquarters reported. More than 12,130 were injured and 175 were still missing, it said.
Six days after the quake, there appeared little hope of finding more survivors in the frigid conditions.
Hail, snow and sleet hit the high-altitude region yesterday, slowing rescue work and causing delays on the main highway linking the disaster area to the provincial capital of Xining. Some aid-laden trucks slowed to a crawl or got stuck on the icy, winding mountain passes.
Silent time
In Qinghai, officials will commemorate the dead today with mourning ceremonies and three minutes of silence across the province.
Flags will be lowered across the country and at Chinese embassies and consulates overseas, marking one week since the earthquake hit, China's State Council, or Cabinet announced yesterday.
The Ministry of Culture separately ordered online entertainment, including games, music and movie downloads, be suspended for the day.
Live entertainment, such as theater and dance performances were also to be postponed, it said on its official Website.
Sporting events, including several professional football matches and a China Basketball Association playoff final, were rescheduled and a television broadcast of European football was canceled.
Snow continued to fall on the quake zone yesterday.
Brake failures
Since late Monday, roads leading to Yushu have all experienced snow or rain.
In some parts, snow on the road was 4 centimeters deep and in others, ice formed on the surface, said the provincial meteorology bureau.
Vehicles were moving at about 10 kilometers per hour when the snow started, a local newspaper reported yesterday. Brake failures occurred and at least one car overturned.
Local traffic officials said they would put traction mats on main roads and use heavy machinery to break the ice.
Yushu's rainy season usually starts in June and heavy falls could trigger landslides.
While no heavy rain is forecast, meteorologists said drizzle would continue.
Local radio reported that air force aircraft carrying relief goods were delayed on Monday due to adverse weather and low visibility.
The weather over Gyegu, the hardest-hit town in Yushu, would remain cloudy and showers were expected. Temperatures in Gyegu might fall below freezing in coming days, weather forecasters said.
About noon yesterday, a hailstorm swept Gyegu. Amid lightning and thunder, peanut-sized hail fell on the town as quake victims and rescuers were having lunch.
The storm lasted about 40 minutes. Barren land and the tops of the blue tents were soon covered by a thin layer of white.
Gyegu sits on the plateau about 3,700 meters above sea level and more than 80 percent of the houses - mostly made of mud and wood - collapsed in last Wednesday's quake and aftershocks.
Thousands of soldiers, police, medical workers and volunteers have joined the rescue operation.
Three people, including a 4-year-old, were saved on Monday after being buried in rubble for about 130 hours.
Rescuers, using heat sensors, yesterday again found signs of life in the ruins, but there was no immediate report of another miracle.
Rescuers have started the massive resettlement of homeless residents and reconstruction.
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