Cremations held in line with local customs

YUSHU, Qinghai - Local Tibetan monks and others have defended the option of cremating victims killed in the 7.1 magnitude earthquake on March 14 as a practice conforming to religious and traditional custom.

More than 1,000 victims of the quake that struck Gyegu town of Yushu county have been cremated over the past week, according to reports.

A total of 2,187 residents in the area, the majority of whom are Tibetans, have died from the earthquake as of Friday afternoon, according to the local civil affairs department.