Rescuers work in the quake-hit Zham Town in Xigaze City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Zham Town, one of the most seriously quake-hit areas in Tibet, has felt more than 20 aftershocks, which have caused landslides and avalanches. (Xinhua/Chogo)
Rescuers are continuing to clear roads and comb through quake rubble in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, after the end of the 72 hour "golden period".
The death toll in Tibet after Saturday's earthquake in neighboring Nepal is now 25, with 4 still missing and 383 injured, according to the regional government.
The quake toppled 2,500 houses and damaged 24,700 others across 19 counties, affecting nearly 300,000 people, among whom 47,500 were displaced. A total of 82 temples were also damaged, the local publicity department said.
A 8.1-magnitude quake shook Nepal at 2:11 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Saturday, and also affected the southwestern part of Tibet, especially Xigaze City.
Xigaze has 18 counties and prefectures, and a population of more than 700,000. The counties of Gyirong, Nyalam and Tingri were worst hit. Nearly 80 percent of the houses in these three counties collapsed.
LIFELINE RESUMES
Traffic resumed Tuesday afternoon on a 37-km highway leading to Zham Town in Nyalam County, allowing rescuers and relief materials to get to the hard-hit town on the Nepal border, according to rescue headquarters.
About 6,000 residents in Zham have been struggling due to a shortage of food, water, medicine and tents after landslides blocked more than a dozen sections of the entry highway.
Eighty percent of the houses in the town have been damaged, displacing 3,500 residents. Officials said aftershocks, and rain and snow were now the main concerns.
Li Dong, vice party secretary of Nyalam, said 15 seriously injured residents in the town were waiting for medical attention.
To regain access to the isolated town, more than 300 fire fighters, armed police and professional rescuers, as well as over 30 pieces of equipment, were mobilized to repair the highway.
The work, however, was hampered by the high altitude, complicated terrain, frequent aftershocks and weather, rescuers said.
"Rocks kept falling onto the road as we cleared the debris," police officer Luo Yongxiang said.
