Following the recent earthquake in China's Xizang autonomous region, rescue efforts have been praised for their speed and efficiency. Within one day, most of the buried were pulled from the rubble. By the second, attention shifted to resettlement and reconstruction. But what's allowed for such a quick operation? Chen Mengfei reports.
Gurong village in Dingri county is among the worst-hit areas. When the earthquake struck at five-past-nine last Tuesday morning, 31-year-old village head Sang Jie sprang into action.
SANG JIE, Village Chief, Gurong Village, Dingri County "After the big one occurred, I first called my superior to report the situation. Then I gathered village cadres and Party members into three groups to carry out the rescue."
The teams searched all forty houses in the village, rescuing two dozen people with their bare hands in the first hour. Sang Jie then went to the gathering point to confirm with each family who was still missing."
SANG JIE, Village Chief, Gurong Village, Dingri County "I learned that four people were still unaccounted for."
By 11 am, two hours after the quake, the first external support team – featuring police, firefighters, and soldiers stationed nearby – arrived with professional equipment. Over 1,000 external rescuers reached this village of about 200 people on the first day, and more than 12,000 responders were deployed across the affected region.
Sang Jie and his colleagues guided the professionals to the four houses where people were still missing. By noon, every resident in the village had been accounted for.
SANG JIE, Village Chief, Gurong Village, Dingri County "I know every person in the village. So I was certain that everyone had been found."
Similar accounts emerged from the over 200 villages affected by the earthquake. A fire brigade dispatched to Xuezhu village reported a similar timeline to CGTN. By 2 pm, they had completed all human rescues, and shifted efforts to salvaging property and livestock from the rubble.
By 10 pm, local authorities had reported 126 casualties and 407 rescues from the earthquake. These numbers remained unchanged after the first night, suggesting search and rescue operations were effectively concluded on the first day.
Local authorities confirmed to CGTN that all casualties from the earthquake had been identified within the first two days, with no missing persons reported. Several factors contributed to the rapid response.
The relatively high official-to-villager ratio in these scattered villages allowed efficient first responses locally. Xizang's soldiers and firefighters, used to handling natural disasters, demonstrated their expertise in emergency operations.
The simple two-story structures prevalent in the region also allowed for more straightforward rescue efforts. Most importantly, orders from the top leadership for "all-out rescue efforts" ensured the unified mobilization of all sectors of society under the central government's guidance.
By the second day, the government announced a shift in focus to victim resettlement and post-disaster reconstruction. From the outset, affected residents received hot meals and warm shelters. The first batch of prefabricated homes is now already accommodating the worst-affected families. Given the current momentum, rapid progress in reconstruction efforts is expected.
Chen Mengfei, CGTN, Xizang Autonomous Region.
