Quake toll up, search goes on
Source: Xinhua |
April 18, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
The death toll from a devastating earthquake in northwest China's Qinghai Province has climbed to 1,484 with another 312 still missing, rescuers said yesterday.
The 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck Yushu County in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu at 7:49am on Wednesday, has also left 12,088 injured, 1,394 severely, said Xia Xueping, a spokesman for the rescue headquarters.
Also yesterday, hundreds of victims were cremated on a hillside in Gyegu, the hardest quake-hit town, with mourning relatives in tears and monks chanting Buddhist prayers.
Yushu sits at about 4,000 meters above sea level and the high altitude, thin air, freezing temperatures and electricity shortages have hampered rescue operations.
While relief efforts remained at full strength, at least 200 trained rescuers were forced to leave after they exhibited signs of altitude sickness, local officials said yesterday.
Many felt dizzy, vomited blood, suffered loss of breath, and their lips turned dark purple.
The stricken rescuers - para-military troops and firefighters from two coastal provinces - were evacuated from Yushu at dawn yesterday, said Li Pengxin, a senior provincial official overseeing the rescue operations.
A brief flurry of snow was expected in the quake-hit area last night, according to a weather forecast.
The flurry would not last long, and the amount of snow would not be large enough to pose serious threats to rescue missions, the forecast said.
The 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck Yushu County in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu at 7:49am on Wednesday, has also left 12,088 injured, 1,394 severely, said Xia Xueping, a spokesman for the rescue headquarters.
Also yesterday, hundreds of victims were cremated on a hillside in Gyegu, the hardest quake-hit town, with mourning relatives in tears and monks chanting Buddhist prayers.
Yushu sits at about 4,000 meters above sea level and the high altitude, thin air, freezing temperatures and electricity shortages have hampered rescue operations.
While relief efforts remained at full strength, at least 200 trained rescuers were forced to leave after they exhibited signs of altitude sickness, local officials said yesterday.
Many felt dizzy, vomited blood, suffered loss of breath, and their lips turned dark purple.
The stricken rescuers - para-military troops and firefighters from two coastal provinces - were evacuated from Yushu at dawn yesterday, said Li Pengxin, a senior provincial official overseeing the rescue operations.
A brief flurry of snow was expected in the quake-hit area last night, according to a weather forecast.
The flurry would not last long, and the amount of snow would not be large enough to pose serious threats to rescue missions, the forecast said.
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