Relief work going on smoothly in quake-hit areas in Tibet: China

Beijing, Jan 13 (PTI) China said on Monday that disaster relief work in the quake-hit areas of Tibet was proceeding smoothly and that it was confident of winning the “tough battle” to restore normalcy in the affected areas.

At least 126 people were killed and 188 others injured when a magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook the Dingri county in the Tibet Autonomous Region's Xigaze last week.

Rescuers braved the bitter cold and low oxygen levels on the high-altitude plateau and raced against time to find and rescue those trapped to minimize casualties, said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.

“The disaster response and relief work is generally proceeding smoothly. We are confident in winning this tough battle of quake response and returning work and life to normal in the affected areas as soon as possible,” Guo said during a media briefing here.

He also criticised the calls by the Tibetan government-in-exile in India asking the Chinese government to take into account traditional Tibetan needs and the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people during the reconstruction and rebuilding.

The “Tibetan government-in-exile” is a pure separatist political group and recognised by no country in the world, he said.

"We are fully aware and vigilant about the group’s separatist nature and political agenda,” he added.

The earthquake occurred at 9.05 am (Beijing time) on January 7, and its epicentre was in the county's Tsogo township, where approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometre radius. Following the quake, the Dingri county, part of the holy town of Shigatse, which is close to the India-Tibet-Nepal trijunction, was hit by over 600 aftershocks. PTI KJV GRS GRS