Construction authorities in west China's Tibet and Xinjiang regions are inspecting the integrity of public buildings after two strong earthquakes shook the remote areas last weekend.
Schools, hospitals, shopping malls, coach stations and railway stations in the Tibet regional capital of Lhasa and prefectures of Xigaze and Shannan will be assessed for damages and stability, said Wang Yalin, deputy director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Construction Department.
"If an unstable building is found, construction experts will tell relevant government departments to reinforce the building or take other measures," he said.
A 6.6-magnitude quake hit Damxung County, 82 km north of Lhasa, Oct. 6. Ten people were killed and 34 others injured, mainly women, children and the elderly.
In a high school in Shannan, one teenager was killed and 15 others injured in a stampede that occurred while the students evacuated during the quake.
At least 147 houses were toppled.
A separate 6.8-magnitude quake struck Oct. 5 in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Construction authorities there have also started inspecting schools, kindergartens, hospitals and other public buildings. More than 700 houses suffered structural damage; four collapsed. No casualties were reported.
"Unstable buildings will be consolidated or stopped from being used," said Li Jianxin, director of the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional Construction Department.
(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2008)
