Owing to non-stop arrival of medical aid and donations from both
home and abroad, residents in Jiashi and Bachu of northwest China's
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have been able to start
putting their lives back together after Monday's strong quake.
More than 6,000 People's Liberation Army soldiers, militias and
police joined round-the-clock rescue efforts, while another
200-plus health care workers busily treated the injured, forgoing
sleep.
Almost the entire local population is now sleeping in the 9,000
quilted tents which were shipped to the afflicted area by central
and local civil affairs departments.
Wang Lequan, party secretary of Xinjiang, said the restoration of
water and electricity to the area was the top priority for relief
workers, while food, medicine, tents, quilts and clothes were still
in great need.
Monday's earthquake, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, jolted
Jiashi and Bachu counties at 10:03 am, leaving 266 people confirmed
dead and more than 2,000 seriously injured.
The areas were ancient towns along the Silk Road in the eastern
foothills of soaring Pamirs.
Experts have begun to analyze why the casualty figures were much
higher in Bachu County than in Jiashi.
They are also trying to discern why Jiashi County, which is nearer
the epicentre of the quake, suffered only slight damage, while
Qongkurqak Township in Bachu County alone had some 240 people
confirmed dead.
Xu
Deshi, an expert with the China Seismological Bureau, said the
unreliable mud brick housing structures were a significant
factor.
Moreover, the loose soil of the Taklimakan Desert where Bachu is
located as well as other geological factors contributed to the huge
damage, he added.
The China Red Cross Society has so far collected about 2.4 million
yuan (US$290,000) worth of donations from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong
Kong, Taiwan and other provinces.
The China Women Development Foundation has also sent 370,000 yuan
(US$44,700) worth of donations.
The regional government has made an urgent call for financial aid
and relief supplies to rebuild and help victims. Telephone numbers
have been issued to accept both domestic and overseas donations as
follows: 86-0991-2886942, 86-0991-2862167, and 86-0991-2567191.
(China Daily February 27, 2003)