XINING -- All 371 schools in Northwest China's earthquake-affected Qinghai province have resumed offline tea

ching, bringing 126,300 students back to classrooms, the provincial department of education said on Tuesday.

Students are attending classes not only at their original school sites but also in temporary resettlements and makeshift houses equipped with necessary facilities including heaters.

Schools will continue to enhance campus security, standardize teaching routines, and support students through psychological counseling and safety education, according to the education department.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Jishishan in Gansu province on Dec 18, leaving more than 150 people dead in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province.

JISHISHAN, Gansu — As the first rays of sunshine of 2024 fell upon the recently quake-hit county of Jishishan, the resettlement sites for people affected by the Dec 18 earthquake were already bustling.

Holding onto a rope with her teammates, 17-year-old Shi Ziwei, in the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar autonomous county of Jishishan, was determined to win a game of tug of war on Monday morning. "It will be OK. We will be better in the new year," she wrote on WeChat.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Jishishan just before midnight on Dec 18, leaving more than 150 people dead in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province.

Shi's parents, who work in Xinjiang, had arrived home less than half an hour before the quake struck. The family managed to run into the yard, where they saw houses collapse due to the strong tremor.

"Staying up to greet my parents, my grandparents didn't go to sleep as early as usual. So luckily no one was injured," Shi said, while adding that she still felt fortunate to be able to talk about the disaster. Over the past several days, Shi and her younger brother have worked as volunteers to help village cadres collect information about the damage suffered by their fellow villagers.

To boost the morale of people affected by the quake, local cadres organized activities such as a tug of war, a basketball match, and song and dance performances to celebrate the new year.

"Villagers are enthusiastic," said Ma Xiaoyong, a cadre of Shenjiaping village where Shi lives. "We planned to have one team representing each community, but there were too many villagers signing up for the events, so we added more teams."

Prefabricated houses have been built to provide temporary resettlement for villagers, and Shi's family moved into one on Thursday. Her mother selected a piece of cloth with a beautiful floral pattern to make curtains, and installed a small mirror on the wall for dressing.

"My biggest wish is that we can soon rebuild our hometown and move into new houses," said Shi Ziwei's father Shi Fuchang. According to local authorities, the new houses are likely to be ready before next winter.

In Dahe village, 20-year-old Ma Wenying was preparing hotpot as the first meal of the new year. Two days ago, his grandmother asked him to bring the refrigerator from their quake-damaged house to their resettlement site, now decorated with red lanterns, so that they could buy food and start cooking again.

Ma's role is to take care of both his grandparents, and the 0.2 hectares of walnut trees on the hill. "The walnuts next year will be sold for a good price," he said, smiling. "After we have enough money, we will rebuild the house. Then my brother and I will both be getting married."

In the county seat of Jishishan, 70-year-old Zhao Huaisheng showed Xinhua the bathroom and barrier-free facilities in his apartment at a nursing home. He was also provided with free clothes. Zhao used to live alone in Gaoli village, where his house was toppled by the quake. With nowhere to go, he and some other seniors were resettled in the nursing home.

Bathed in the first rays of 2024, Zhao combed his hair carefully, while dumplings were being prepared for breakfast. "This is another year now," he said. "My wish is that everyone is safe and healthy."

Xinhua

People in the four towns hit hardest by the 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, on Dec 18 have been relocated to prefabricated houses from tents, as relief work has entered the phase of post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, local authorities said at a news conference on Friday.

As of 3 pm on Friday, a total of 15,812 prefabricated houses have been built in the severely affected towns of Dahejia, Shiyuan, Liugou and Liuji in Jishishan to accommodate those who lost their homes in the disaster.

Another 1,165 prefabricated houses have been built for schools' teaching, accommodation and office use.

All related supporting facilities have been put in place, including those for heating, toilets, water, electricity and communication.

Police stations, medical rooms and material distribution points have been set up at the resettlement sites to ensure that the affected people have hot meals, bedding, warm clothing, clean water and medical services.

The selection of location for new residential housing in the disaster-stricken areas will be completed before Jan 15, 2024, to ensure that people can move into their new houses by the end of October.

"As of Dec 25, all schools in Jishishan have resumed classes," said Han Shujun, an official from the Gansu Emergency Management Department, adding that the majority of shopping malls, supermarkets, stores, restaurants, farmers' markets and e-commerce express logistics points in Jishishan have resumed operations.

Except for Dahejia town, resumption rate of operation entities has reached over 90 percent.

Bai Yuping, deputy director of the Gansu Provincial Health Commission, said that all the 784 injured people have received timely and effective treatment. Currently, the number of hospitalized patients has fallen to 152, and the number of critically injured patients is three.

Starting Friday, the neighboring Qinghai province terminated the level-II emergency response to the earthquake, the Qinghai provincial earthquake relief headquarters said.

The level-II response is the second-highest in China's four-tier earthquake emergency response system.

Xinhua News Agency contributed to this story.

XINING -- Starting Friday, Northwest China's Qinghai province terminated the level-II emergency response to a 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, the Qinghai provincial earthquake relief headquarters said.

The level-II response is the second-highest in China's four-tier earthquake emergency response system.

JISHISHAN, Gansu Province -- From Friday, Northwest China's Gansu province will terminate the level-II emergency response to a 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Jishishan county.

The Gansu provincial earthquake relief headquarters made the announcement Thursday night, saying that the follow-up work will focus on resettling the quake-affected residents and reconstructing the quake-hit areas.

The earthquake struck the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County of Jishishan in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture last week, causing hundreds of casualties and the collapse of or damage to buildings.

The level-II response is the second-highest in China's four-tier earthquake emergency response system.

The Shanghai Charity Foundation on Tuesday denied that the down jackets of a well-known Canadian brand donated to victims of the recent earthquake in Gansu province through the foundation were being sold online.

Earlier that day, an online post alleged that the Canada Goose down jackets donated by Xiji (Shanghai) Trading Co, a Canada Goose-affiliated company in China, were found on sale on Xianyu, a popular online secondhand marketplace. The post immediately caused a stir among netizens who flooded the comments questioning the integrity of how the donations had been handled.

"The untrue information has already had a bad effect on the quake-relief efforts," read the open statement released by the foundation on Tuesday.

The foundation said that it received 2,001 Canada Goose down jackets after getting a phone call from a representative of Xiji (Shanghai) Trading Co on Dec 20.The jackets were regarded as urgently-needed materials for victims in Gansu who were experiencing subzero cold weather after the earthquake.

On Sunday, the foundation worked with China Post to send the jackets to quake-devastated areas, aided and supervised by the Shanghai Z-CARE Emergency Rescue Team, which is conducting search and rescue operations in the region. The rescue team was requested to follow up and oversee the delivery of jackets to the victims.

By 6:20 pm the next day, the local authority confirmed that they had received the jackets and had stored them temporarily in Xuhujia town in Jishishan county. The distribution plan had yet to be decided by the provincial civil affairs department.

"We are continuously following the whole process of distribution to ensure the transparency of donation handling," read the statement.

The foundation emphasized that other donations were properly received and will be distributed as planned. Close cooperation will continue between the foundation, Gansu officials and rescue teams on-site to ensure a smooth and just donation process.

An official with the local publicity department surnamed Guo confirmed to Jingzhou Daily in a video report that the jackets are still in stock and have not been distributed.

Xianyu has deleted the post alleging "down jacket donations on sale", and permanently removed the account involved for "maliciously driving traffic to attract customers".

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted an ethnic county in Northwest China's Gansu province on Dec 18 killed 117 people in the province, according to Xinhua News Agency. A further 31 were killed by the quake in neighboring Qinghai province.

BEIJING -- Taiwan business people and enterprises had donated funds and relief supplies worth more than 40 million yuan (about $5.63 million) to the quake-hit areas in Gansu province as of Tuesday, a mainland spokesperson said Wednesday.

At a press conference, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, expressed gratitude to the relevant organizations and individuals from Taiwan as well as a large number of Taiwan business people and enterprises for their concern and assistance.

"This once again fully shows that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are members of one family," Chen said, noting that at no time can this family bond be severed.

On Dec 18, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted a county in Gansu province, leaving at least 149 people dead and two persons missing in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province.

Gansu province has received numerous consolation letters from former national leaders, provincial-level officials, foreign diplomats stationed in China, and international representatives after the recent magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture.

They expressed their sympathy for the significant loss of life and property caused by the earthquake and offered support for disaster relief efforts.

They said they believed the affected people would overcome the difficulties and rebuild their beautiful homes soon.

The quake mainly impacted Jishishan county in Linxia around midnight on Dec 18.

The province also received donations from foreign countries, such as Mongolia, to help its affected residents overcome this difficult time.

Ban Ki-moon, former UN secretary-general and chairman of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation For a Better Future, donated relief supplies worth around 1 million yuan ($139,955) to the affected areas.

On Sunday, the first batch of supplies worth 500,000 yuan arrived in Jishishan. It included coats, quilts, instant noodles, bread, mineral water, fruit juice, masks, and other emergency rescue and life support materials.

Construction workers in Northwest China's Gansu province are working tirelessly to build prefabricated houses for residents impacted by a recent 6.2-magnitude earthquake so that they can move from tents to warmer structures for the upcoming Chinese New Year Festival.

As of 7 am on Monday, 8,793 prefabricated houses had been transported to the Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, with 8,096 houses already built, local officials said at a news conference on Monday afternoon. 

The quake, which mainly jolted Linxia prefecture around midnight on Dec 18, has resulted in a death toll of 149 in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province.

"More than 3,800 workers and over 1,000 pieces of machinery and equipment have been put into the construction," Mao Hongbo, deputy director of Linxia said at the conference. 

In the five worst-hit townships in the prefecture — Dahejia, Liuji, Shiyuan, Liugou and Chuimatan — a team of more than 600 experts is conducting emergency housing assessment for all households and developing plans for the mobile board houses. "According to the evaluation results, we plan to build 15,000 prefabricated houses to provide one house to each family."

"The prefabricated houses are equipped with beds, bedding, stoves, electric heaters, and carbon monoxide alarms," said Mao. "Additionally, relocation sites for the affected residents offer police, medical, and other necessary services."

After moving into a warm house, Ma Zhiying immediately went to help his fellow villager Ma Heimai set up the stove in the prefabricated house.

"Villagers also used tricycles to help each other transport daily articles between the tents and the prefabricated houses," said Ma Zhiying, a villager of Chenjia village. "I felt quite warm from my fellow villagers as well as the strength and power of our country."

During the inspection tour in Linxia to oversee earthquake relief efforts on Sunday, Ren Zhenhe, governor of Gansu, instructed officials at the resettlement sites to rest in the tents until all affected residents have moved into the prefabricated houses, local media reported on Monday.

"We will make every effort to ensure the timely and efficient completion of the construction tasks, to allow the affected people to welcome the New Year in warm accommodations," Mao said.

Schools fully resumed classes on Monday in the earthquake-stricken Jishishan county of Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, and production and daily life are gradually returning to normal, according to a news conference held on Monday.

Han Shujun of the province's emergency management department said that the relief work has been effective, orderly and efficient, and has achieved initial results after the 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Jishishan.

Han said that under the principle of combining online and offline approaches and implementing tailored services for each school, the authorities have actively organized the resumption of classes and facilitated online teaching.

Furthermore, commercial establishments such as shopping malls, supermarkets, shops, restaurants, farmer's markets, and e-commerce logistics centers have swiftly resumed operations.

"Currently, 90 percent of such businesses in the county town have reopened, with over half of such businesses in rural areas also resuming operations," said Han.

Except Dahejia town, the operational entities in the county's urban areas and other townships have achieved a work resumption rate of 80.9 percent. Market supplies are guaranteed, and circulation channels are unobstructed, meeting the consumption needs of the local population.

Among the industrial enterprises affected by the earthquake, six have already resumed production, said Han.

Various sectors of society have donated funds and supplies to support the disaster-hit area, said Han, to facilitate smooth channels for donations and regulate the procedures for disaster relief contributions, the quake relief headquarters has established a provincial treasury account for donations and formed a dedicated team to receive, manage, and allocate funds and materials at the provincial level.

As of Sunday, incomplete statistics indicate that a total of over 1.85 billion yuan ($260 million) has been received from donations by various sectors of society and funds allocated by central departments and ministries. Among these, donations from various sectors amount to nearly 1.17 billion yuan.

XINING -- The death toll from the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted Northwest China on Dec. 18 has risen to 32 in Qinghai province, while two people are still missing, according to the Qinghai emergency management department on Monday.

The department said these casualty figures applied as of 11 p.m. on Sunday, while also confirming that the search for the two missing people was continuing.

In the wake of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake, it's vital that lines of communication remain open, and the temporary post stations in Jishishan county, the epicenter of the earthquake that struck on Dec 18, have played a crucial role in ensuring packages get in and out.

Ma Hailong, a 32-year-old resident from Dahejia town in Jishishan county, lost his home in the quake, but despite this, he was thrilled that he was able to send and receive packages just three days after the tragedy struck.

He initially thought that postal services, especially deliveries, would be suspended after the earthquake, which occurred just seconds before midnight on Dec 18. Being able to receive his package on time provided some consolation for Ma.

After the earthquake in Jishishan, several buildings, including the Dahejia branch of China Post, had great cracks in their walls.

Temporary post offices were set up in nine quake-hit towns, including Dahejia and Liuji, and are now open for all postal services. In addition, six postal routes in the county remain open, and 24 delivery routes have resumed operation.

The Dahejia post office reopened in a tent on Dec 20, receiving more than 2,300 pieces of mail in two days, which were all promptly delivered to residents in the quake-affected area.

The temporary post office has also opened a green channel for financial services, handling the delivery of mail from courier companies such as SF Express in the disaster area.

To facilitate donations from various sectors of society, Gansu branches of China Post and the Postal Savings Bank of China have opened green channels for the earthquake-stricken area in Jishishan.

Authorities coordinating to ensure classes continue after 6.2-magnitude earthquake

Despite temperatures still lingering below freezing, the sound of children reading out loud has started echoing inside the temporary shelters for the affected population after the earthquake in Jishishan county in Gansu province.

Several rescue teams, in collaboration with local schoolteachers, have set up "tent schools" for children in affected villages, so that schooling can continue in the wake of the disaster.

On Dec 21, at the settlement point for earthquake-affected residents in Shiyuan village, members of the Gansu Forest Fire Brigade set up a tent school teaching science, health and culture.

"Due to the earthquake's impact, children can't attend school. To make the best use of this time, we opened tent schools teaching children while ensuring their safety," said Zhang Peng, a member of the brigade.

There are 10 students in each class in Shiyuan, with each lesson lasting 30 minutes. Depending on the on-site conditions, additional courses such as physical education, mathematics and art will be introduced, Zhang said.

Han Yongping, 36, the principal of Shiyuan Village Primary School, is responsible for psychological counseling and teaching Chinese courses. He emphasizes the need to calm the children and their parents first, providing psychological counseling to help them move beyond the shadows of the earthquake and overcome fear.

For many children and adults, this is their first experience with an earthquake, he said.

The primary school has six grades, 107 students and 12 teachers. Han said that the school conducts emergency drills once a week. Just a day before the earthquake, students were taught safety emergency science, how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, and how to respond during an earthquake.

Han said there has been no news of any injured students or teachers.

After the earthquake, he and his colleagues contacted each student's parents to ensure that their basic needs were met.

The school is considering online classes to make up for the missed lessons and is preparing to apply to the higher education authorities to establish a temporary school for the children.

The original teaching building has developed cracks due to the earthquake and is unsafe, the principal said. The teachers there are planning to utilize available desks and chairs to ensure that no child misses a lesson.

The establishment of temporary schools requires strict safety measures, ensuring post-earthquake safety and addressing issues related to the use of fire and electricity, he said.

Han and his colleagues plan to return to the teaching building, while ensuring safety, to retrieve the students' textbooks.

All teachers are at the disaster settlement point, and after confirming the safety of their homes, they are all involved in the transportation of emergency supplies, he said.

"The disaster has happened, but life and students' study must go on. We need to respond positively, take proactive self-rescue measures, and not just wait for assistance," said Han.

Han lives about 40 kilometers away from the school. On the night of Dec 18, he stayed at the school, and since then, he has been living in a tent, and hasn't returned home. Despite hearing the news his own house had collapsed, the principal said that he was most concerned that his parents, wife and children were unharmed during the earthquake.

At 3 am on Dec 19, three hours after the earthquake struck, the Gansu Provincial Department of Education sent a task force to Jishishan county for emergency response and rescue efforts.

At 5:10 am on Dec 19, the task force held an online coordination meeting at the Jishishan county education bureau, establishing a front-line command center with five earthquake relief teams. Three assessment teams were dispatched to the three most severely affected townships to investigate the impact on teachers and students and assess damage to students' homes.

Both Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture and Jishishan county organized specialized teams to comprehensively assess schools within their jurisdiction. The county assessed 243 schools with over 48,000 students, while the prefecture assessed 2,048 schools with more than 498,000 students. Students from Jishishan county's boarding schools have all been evacuated and relocated.

Gansu's education authorities also convened a meeting to review and coordinate efforts.

They activated emergency plans to ensure the smooth progress of the 2024 postgraduate admissions examination on Saturday and Sunday.

The provincial department of education guided the Linxia prefecture education bureau to assess examination centers in Linxia, conducting a thorough check on invigilators, examiners and their families. Meanwhile, a dedicated team was formed to contact all 1,240 examinees from Jishishan county, ensuring their participation in the exam as scheduled.

Ma Yonghong, deputy director of the education bureau of Jishishan county, said that all local teachers were arranged to go to relocation sites for psychological counseling and teaching assistance on Thursday.

More than 4,900 high school students in the county resumed online classes on Friday, and junior high schools will conduct online classes from Monday, he said.

Starting from Monday, for elementary schools with conditions for resumption, grades four to six will have online classes, while schools without resumption conditions will have teachers go to relocation sites for teaching assistance, Ma said.

Demonstrating their dedication to social responsibility, automakers are donating millions of yuan to deliver emergency aid, supplies and rescue services in the aftermath of a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Northwest China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces last week.

The earthquake has caused heavy casualties and wreaked havoc on the region's water supply and power, transportation and communication infrastructure. By Friday, more than 10 auto companies combined had donated over 80 million yuan ($11.21 million) to the relief effort.

BYD was the first to extend a helping hand, donating 10 million yuan to the earthquake-stricken areas. Chery made the largest donation of 12 million yuan and its Exeed, Jetour and iCar brands have been engaged in the relief and post-disaster recovery efforts.

Geely Group donated 10 million yuan for the purchase of emergency relief supplies and others.

Great Wall Motor announced a donation of 5 million yuan, along with 15 Tank 300 off-road vehicles and 20 Great Wall Poer pickups.

Great Wall's five major brands — Haval, Poer, Wey, Tank and Ora — also have launched six caring services, including free road rescue, free vehicle inspections and a fast-track insurance claims process.

Chinese startups Li Auto and Nio also made donations of 10 million yuan and 5 million yuan, respectively.

GAC Group donated 5 million yuan and its joint ventures — GAC Honda, GAC Toyota and GAC Hino, along with subsidiary GAC Aion — have initiated emergency rescue service channels for their users.

Meanwhile, BMW China and BMW Brilliance Automotive jointly donated 3 million yuan for emergency rescue and assistance to affected residents, and to provide cold weather protection for rescue personnel.

Mercedes-Benz, in collaboration with its nationwide dealerships, has collected and delivered tons of emergency supplies, including clothing and daily necessities.

Changan Ford has introduced six exclusive care measures for owners whose vehicles were damaged in the disaster, including free road rescue, a green channel for parts supply and a 300-yuan vehicle repair subsidy.

Changan's Deepal brand has introduced three key assistance initiatives for car owners affected by the earthquake: 24-hour rescue, insurance claims support and a 30 percent discount on sheet metal labor costs. It is also offering free vehicle inspections, interior disinfection and exterior vehicle cleaning.

Meanwhile, Dongfeng Motor's Voyah brand delivered care packages for car owners in Gansu, established a 24-hour emergency rescue channel and delivered tents and medicines to the disaster-stricken areas.

Besides taking a lead role in donating to emergency relief, auto manufacturers have organized events to promote culture, education and environmental conservation as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.

Despite it being less than a week since Jishishan county was struck by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake, local businesses have been making efforts to get back to work and move on from the tragedy.

Less than a minute before the stroke of midnight on Dec 18, the earthquake struck Jishishan in the Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture in Gansu. It had resulted in 117 deaths and 781 injuries in Gansu as of the morning of Dec 22. A further 31 deaths have been recorded in neighboring Qinghai province.

The work focus has shifted from on-site inspections and search and rescue operations to resettling affected populations and treating the injured.

Qian Xiao, 29, the operations manager at a technology company in Jishishan, said that employees cleared damaged office areas with the aim of resuming work and production as soon as possible.

Although the company has not reported any casualties among its personnel, it has incurred losses exceeding 800,000 yuan ($112,000) in hardware, property and revenue. The office suffered ceiling collapses and wall ruptures, with the data center damaged, causing a halt in overall business operations.

The data center was restored, and the water and power supplies were fixed just three days after the quake. However, structural repairs of the buildings are temporarily on hold due to the unavailability of specialized workers. Fortunately, the office has been deemed habitable by the provincial housing department, said Qian.

The company, with 345 employees who are mostly locals from Jishishan, had around 50 employees in the office during the earthquake. All employees were evacuated to safe zones, and the management arranged for the staff to stay inside vehicles with their heaters running to prevent freezing, considering the outdoor temperature was minus 13 C at that time.

Qian said that many of his employees have either lost their houses or they have been severely damaged, and that they are currently residing in temporary shelters.

Since the quake hit, company employees have rallied together to help by volunteering, assisting in the transportation of relief supplies and contributing to cleanup and repair efforts.

Despite the preparations being made to get the company back to work as soon as possible, Qian said more time was needed so that employees could deal with the disaster.

"Our employees are young and often serve as the main support for their families, with elderly and young dependents. Forcing them to return to work at this time would cause significant unease," he said.

Liu Jianguo, 26, a manager from Baiyi Yinong International Flower Port in Linxia, said that after the earthquake, the company's management promptly conducted safety checks on production workshops and factories. Once safety was confirmed, they decided to restart operations.

The company, with over 500 employees, promptly donated urgently needed relief materials to the hardest-hit areas and provided timely support to affected employees, said Liu.

Before returning to work on the morning of Dec 19, the company organized a second safety inspection of production workshops and factories, he said. In addition to checking building structures, they focused on gas pipelines to ensure no hazardous gas leaks, due to the large supply and demand of gas in winter, primarily used for heating in production workshops and greenhouse sheds.

After rushing to earthquake-stricken Jishishan county in Gansu province last week, Hao Xiangyong and his colleagues from Gansu Provincial Hospital have been busy carrying out a series of emergency medical procedures almost hourly each day.

As team leader of the Gansu mobile field hospital sent by Gansu Provincial Hospital, Hao and his 50 colleagues, including 10 critical care specialists, started working at the disaster-stricken area on Tuesday, a day after the magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted the region. The team is stationed at the severely affected Dahejia town.

The team's primary tasks include providing urgent treatment to individuals brought in by rescue teams, transferring those with mild symptoms to nearby tents once treated, and transporting those with severe conditions to specialized county hospitals after primary treatment.

Hao recalled that on the first day, the main medical issues they faced were fractures and external injuries. By the second day, tents for the displaced had been set up, and residents seeking medical attention for various discomforts and injuries flocked to the mobile hospital. Since the third day after the earthquake, approximately 200 local residents have been visiting the hospital daily.

According to Hao, the mobile hospital has deployed four national emergency rescue vehicles, each serving different functions — an X-ray vehicle for fracture patients, a laboratory vehicle, a surgical vehicle for emergency procedures and an emergency power supply vehicle.

The earthquake left 148 people dead and 781 injured.

Premier Li Qiang, who visited several villages in Jishishan and Minhe county in neighboring Qinghai province on Saturday, urged the best possible medical treatment for those injured.

Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the top priority of the current relief work is to ensure that affected people stay warm and safe in winter.

During his visit, the premier talked with people affected by the disaster and learned about the work being carried out regarding resettlement, relief supplies and the construction of temporary housing.

He urged relief workers to race against time to send relief supplies and daily necessities to those living in the settlements, and build temporary houses as fast as possible for those who are currently living in tents.

As of noon on Saturday, more than 2,400 sets of mobile board houses had been delivered to the disaster-stricken areas in Gansu. In Dahejia town, multiple resettlement sites, including mini fire stations and essential service facilities, had been set up.

A National Health Commission release on Sunday said that all the injured people from the earthquake-hit areas have received timely and effective medical treatment and normal medical services in the disaster-stricken areas have been restored.

According to Hao from the Gansu Provincial Hospital, the most common health issues being reported by patients are respiratory ailments, colds, fever and diarrhea. The medical team has set up a dynamic monitoring system for individuals with chronic illnesses and is distributing medications accordingly.

Hao said that at the beginning, establishing an overall medical response process in the quake-hit site was difficult, but everything has since become very organized.

First set up in 2015, the Gansu mobile field hospital has been actively involved in various emergency medical support efforts, participating in a number of disaster response operations.

"We have a team of experienced hospital staff. We are a well-established unit capable of responding to emergency rescue scenes whenever needed," Hao said.

He added that many doctors in the team have been on the front line of fighting the pandemic for the past three years. Some colleagues had been looking forward to taking a few days off at the end of this year, when the earthquake occurred. As a mobile field hospital, their duty is to be present wherever there is an emergency.

"All our team members are on standby 24 hours a day. Currently, there is a high prevalence of respiratory infections, and several doctors have also caught colds due to the extremely cold weather and excessive workload," he said.

According to the Jishishan earthquake relief headquarters, immediately after the earthquake, the Gansu provincial health commission initiated emergency response procedures, mobilizing the entire health system to swiftly manage the treatment of the injured, implement health and epidemic prevention measures, and provide psychological counseling.

As of now, 784 injured individuals have been admitted to various medical institutions in the province.

To ensure optimal care for the injured, support their daily medical needs, and facilitate the procurement of medicines, medical institutions at all levels have established green channels, the headquarters said. They treat mild cases locally, and critical patients are rapidly transferred to higher-level hospitals, where national- and provincial-level medical experts are providing guidance on-site. Tailored treatment plans are provided for each patient, it added.

All county and township medical institutions are operational, with an additional 19 medical treatment points and one mobile hospital set up to address the routine healthcare needs of affected residents, according to the headquarters.

Furthermore, 21 ambulances and 63 medical staff have been urgently dispatched to form 21 mobile medical teams, visiting the worst-hit 35 villages in four townships and to provide medical care and transfer patients. Around 500 treatments are being provided daily by the mobile teams.

Authorities have also urgently allocated 102,000 boxes of medicines, covering categories such as cold medicines, trauma treatments, gastrointestinal medicines, and medications for high blood pressure and diabetes. The province and prefectures have allocated 74,000 milliliters of blood for clinical use, ensuring that blood stocks are sufficient to meet normal medical needs.

In response to the panic and anxiety experienced by many after the earthquake, the authorities have mobilized 28 mental health experts to provide face-to-face psychological counseling to patients, their families, affected residents and relief personnel. Over 500 affected individuals have received psychological counseling to date.

Additionally, 35 teams comprising 70 mental health experts are being formed to provide door-to-door psychological counseling services in the quake-hit areas. Over 50 mental health experts across the country will also be invited to provide online psychological crisis intervention and health consultations to those in need, the headquarters said.

China's top health authority said Sunday all injured in recent earthquakes in Gansu and Qinghai provinces have received prompt and effective treatment, while medical services are returning to normal in affected regions.

The National Health Commission has dispatched two national emergency medical rescue teams to disaster-stricken regions, enabling treatment of the injured in dedicated facilities by medical professionals from across the country with all necessary resources.

Together with local medical staff, national experts in orthopedics, general surgery, psychology and other departments have implemented targeted treatment, carried out patrol diagnosis and organized psychological counseling for the affected populations.

In cooperation with the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the commission will further coordinate medical resources, strengthen healthcare services and spare no efforts to treat the wounded.

To avoid major post-disaster epidemics, the authorities will conduct continuous real-time monitoring and risk assessment of infectious diseases and carry out sanitation and epidemic prevention work such as drinking water monitoring and environmental disinfection.

LANZHOU -- Premier Li Qiang has called for using all possible means to improve living conditions of affected people in earthquake-hit areas in Northwest China and make sure they live through winter days safely.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on Saturday visited several villages in Jishishan county, Gansu province, and Minhe county in the neighboring Qinghai province. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the areas at 11:59 pm Monday, leaving 148 people dead and 781 injured as of Friday, and toppling many buildings.

During the visits, the premier talked with people affected by the disaster and learned about the work related to resettlement, relief supplies and the construction of temporary dwellings.

He said the top priority of current relief work was to ensure the affected people stay warm and safe in winter.

He urged relief workers to race against time to send relief supplies and daily necessities to the victims in the settlements, and build temporary houses as fast as possible for those who currently live in tents.

Buildings in the quake areas should be checked and reinforced, if needed, so that residents can move back and essential facilities such as schools and hospitals can be reopened, Li said.

Reconstruction should be planned in a coordinated manner to help local people improve their living conditions in order to prevent poverty caused by the disaster, he said.

He urged the best possible medical treatment for those injured in the quake.

The premier also instructed local governments to timely release disaster relief information and actively respond to the concerns of the affected people.

Volunteers have rushed to lend a helping hand in regions stricken by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Northwest China as search operations in some areas are nearing the end and efforts are underway to ensure safe shelter and sanitation for affected villagers.

The death toll of the quake that struck Gansu and Qinghai provinces around midnight on Monday has risen to 148, with nearly 1,000 injured, according to local authorities.

Three people remain missing in Haidong city in Qinghai and rescuers were still searching for them, local officials said during a news conference on Friday morning.

Authorities in Gansu said on Wednesday that rescue efforts had basically finished and their focus had shifted to treating the injured and ensuring the safety of displaced residents.

Zhou Yuexiong, a volunteer of the Red Cross Society of China's branch in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, did not hesitate to join the team arriving at Jishishan on Tuesday night despite the fact that his wedding was planned for next week.

"My fiancee was reluctant to let me go because she was worried about my safety if aftershocks happen and was afraid that I might not be able to make it back in time for the big event," said the 26-year-old.

But as a veteran who now teaches calligraphy at a primary school in Yinchuan, provincial capital of Ningxia, Zhou said that he is driven by a sense of responsibility to participate in rescue and relief work in the aftermath of disasters.

Ningxia, where Zhou comes from, borders Gansu. "Red Cross organizations in the two regions and the broader northwestern parts of China are tightly bonded under a Red Cross mechanism and I feel like I came here to help my family," he said.

Zhou Zhijun, head of the 15-strong team from the Red Cross' Ningxia branch, said that four on his team were Red Cross personnel and the remaining were volunteers with full-time jobs. They also brought 500 tents, 500 folding beds and 4,500 jackets among other aid supplies.

"When I called to ask them to participate in the mission, nearly all signed up immediately," he said.

Zhou, 47, had participated in rescue and relief work for the earthquake that hit Ludian county in Yunnan province in 2014, the flooding in Henan province in 2021 and the widespread flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka in 2016.

"The biggest challenge during this mission in Gansu I think is the frigid temperatures," he added.

Local officials have said that cotton tents, quilts, jackets and heat stoves are the most urgently needed supplies in stricken communities.

Zhang Xiao, a 35-year-old government worker from Pingliang, a city in Gansu province, drove his sedan to shuttle 30 boxes of instant noodles and 30 boxes of bottled water. "I had to peel off some packages of the instant noodles to fill as many as possible in the car," he said.

Zhang arrived at Jishishan around 3 am on Wednesday and his donations made it into the hands of local residents near noon.

An owner of a bakery at the county seat of Jishishan, surnamed Yang, was busy packing bags of bread rolls on Wednesday evening. "Today we are closed and are devoting all our time to making these little buns to be donated to quake-hit areas," he said.

Contact the writers at wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

In freezing temperatures, a simple bowl of beef noodles brings hope to thousands of residents who lost their homes in the magnitude-6.2 earthquake in Gansu province's Jishishan county on Monday.

A team of volunteers came to the relocation sites in the county to serve noodles free of charge. The scenes are characterized by steam rising from hot soup, cooks waving their arms and noodle dough flying.

Despite being shaken by quake aftershocks, Ma Sadong kept cooking beef noodles.

Ma said preparation work of beef noodles can be relatively quickly and the noodles suit the tastes of most victims, as it's a daily staple for ethnic groups in Northwest China.

"Seeing people lining up and staring eagerly at the pot, I worried about not being fast enough," Ma said.

Since they arrived at the relocation site, Ma and his colleagues from Xingda Group worked from 5 am to late night to provide up to 2,000 bowls of noodles in Dahejia township — one of the hardest-hit areas.

"With five cars, and five people squeezing into each one, we rushed from Guanghe county to the epicenter. We barely slept," said Ma, who arrived at the epicenter at 6 am on Tuesday.

The team had prepared braised beef, packed 15 bags of flour and gathered whatever cooking utensils and gas canisters they could find. Upon arrival in Dahejia, they set up tents and tables for cooking. Some quake victims rummaged through the wreckage of their homes to find chopping boards and dough makers so the cooks could serve noodles as soon as possible.

"After suffering a cold night and power and water outages, quake victims found hot beef noodles to be a great comfort," he said.

Wang Wenyu, 14, couldn't hold back her tears when picking up a bowl of noodles in her hands. "That was a horrible night. But now, I feel warm, safe and hopeful," Wenyu said.

Thirteen victims shared a single tent at the relocation site. They were offered rice and vegetables by the local government because they couldn't cook themselves. Carbon monoxide poisoning poses a danger in small enclosures.

In the dark of night after the quake, there was no power. Ma and his team parked in front of a noodle stall and used the headlights for illumination.

In the days since the quake, they have commuted between Guanghe and Dahejia to fetch more food ingredients, only catching about four hours of sleep per day.

"None of us complain. We consider it an honorable task and a responsibility to contribute to our hometown and the people," he said. His company is offering noodles at three relocation sites, each producing around 1,000 bowls per day.

On Friday, when this year's Winter Solstice fell, Ma purchased instant frozen dumplings with beef and Chinese chives, as it is a tradition for many in North China to have dumplings on this day.

As of 8 am on Friday, the earthquake death toll had reached 117, with the number of injured persons standing at 781. As of Friday noon, the number of relocation sites had reached 311, and 112,346 people had been transferred to safe places.

An online video from China Central Television showing volunteer Ma Wenjun making beef noodles has so far received more than 1 million views.

"There are always kindhearted people proving there is still a lot of warmth in this world," said a netizen commenting on the video.

Another said, "A bowl of beef noodles truly warms people's hearts. Here's a salute to those who silently contribute."

Facing a news camera, Ma said, "It will take time to rebuild the house, but it doesn't matter. We will rebuild everything from scratches."

Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn

BEIJING -- China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration has allocated disaster-relief materials to Gansu and Qinghai after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake jolted the country's northwestern regions.

The administration has allocated 1,335 pieces of cold prevention materials and communication equipment to the two provinces, which have all arrived at their destinations so far, according to the NFGA.

After the earthquake, the administration urged forestry and grassland departments at local levels in Gansu and Qinghai to excel in earthquake relief efforts, actively investigate hidden dangers, and prevent secondary disasters.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake struck at 11:59 pm Monday and has a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter Liugou Township is about 8 km from the county seat of the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County of Jishishan in Gansu Province.

As of 10 pm Thursday, the death toll from the earthquake had risen to 31 in Qinghai, and 117 people were confirmed dead in Gansu, local authorities said Friday.

JISHISHAN, Gansu -- The death toll from the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted Northwest China has risen to 117 in Gansu province, bringing the total to 148 in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, local authorities said Friday.

As of 8 am Friday, the earthquake had injured 781 people in Gansu, according to the provincial earthquake relief headquarters.

A total of 311 temporary relocation sites have been set up for the affected residents in Gansu, and 112,346 people relocated as of Friday noon.

Up to now, 499 individuals have been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment, while 282 people remain in hospital. Among them, 17 are in critical condition and 69 are severely injured.

All patients are receiving individual specific diagnoses and treatment plans.

Pharmacies have resumed operation to guarantee the allocation of medicine. Hundreds of thousands of boxes of drugs to treat colds, trauma, digestive disorders, hypertension, diabetes, and other fundamental diseases have also been distributed.

In Qinghai province, the earthquake had killed 31 people as of Thursday.

The quake occurred at 11:59 pm Monday and had a focal depth of 10 km.

More than 3,000 rescuers of various types have arrived to conduct rescue operations after an earthquake hit Gansu and Qinghai provinces late on Monday.

A total of 979 injured people have been received by medical institutions at the provincial, prefecture and county levels, as the provinces move forward with post-quake recovery. Watch the video to see the rescuers in action.

Firefighters from Gansu Forest Fire Brigade on Thursday set up a "tent school" for students at the after-quake relocation site in Shiyuan village, Jishishan county, Gansu province.

The curriculum covers lessons on emergency response, as well as general knowledge on healthcare and culture. The teachers include local school teachers and firefighters from the provincial forest fire brigade.

Click the video to see more.

Video editor: Zhao Chenyan

Intern: Luo Jiayuan

China Daily reporters visited the relocation site for quake-affected people in Dahejia town, Jishishan county, Gansu province on Thursday. They found that the provincial mobile field hospital was on-site to receive patients.

They also say that the Second People's Hospital of Gansu province providing psychological counseling services to people at the site.

In addition, China Post has also established a temporary post office there to handle the sending and receiving of express mail and facilitate financial transactions.

Clear the video to learn more.

Luo Jiayuan in Beijing contributed to this story.

XINING -- Death toll from the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted northwest China has risen to 31 in Qinghai province, local authorities said.

Firefighters from Gansu Forest Fire Brigade set up a "tent school" for the children at a temporary relocation site in the quake-stricken Shiyuan village of Jishishan county, Gansu province, and it was the first day of school on Thursday.

In addition to classes on culture, the curriculum also includes lessons on emergency responses and general healthcare.

More than two days after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit Jintian village, Qinghai province, Kong Lingping watched from a distance as bulldozers continued to remove mud and debris, as hopes faded of finding the last nine people missing in the area.

Kong, 42, said: "The roof of my house looks as though it has split down the middle, but my family is fine.

"I heard that one member of a family, who is in his 80s, survived, but his two sons and grandson died in the quake. He is staying at a shelter and barely talks at present. This must be so painful for him."

Behind Kong, villagers resettled in shelters on open ground lined up at a temporary stall offering free beef noodles, peering expectantly at the boiling broth.

A rescuer wearing a yellow helmet said, "Under such circumstances, a bowl of hot beef noodles can solve many problems."

The rescue worker gobbled down his noodles in just one minute, finishing off with a large sip of soup before dashing off to join his colleagues transporting and organizing donated supplies — routine work they have performed day and night since the quake struck on Monday.

A scene of deep grief mixed with hope is unfolding across the remote village of Jintian, which has a population of about 1,800.

At least 135 people died and nearly 1,000 were injured when the quake struck Qinghai and neighboring Gansu province late on Monday evening. As of Thursday afternoon, 12 were still missing, including nine in Jintian.

The village is situated about 16 kilometers from the quake's epicenter in Gansu, separated by a stretch of the Yellow River.

In addition to the trauma caused by the quake, the village was hit by waves of earth churning like water that crushed houses in a phenomenon known as liquefaction or sand boil.

Memories of the horrifying moment when layers of earth tumbled down from a nearby slope differ between the villagers, but they were all shocked and panicked by the incident.

"The mud, which appeared to be four to five meters deep, cascaded down and destroyed all the trees and buildings in its way," Kong said, pointing at a vast patch of land that had sunk at least three meters into the ground.

"Standing here again makes my hair stand on end," he added.

Kong was one of the first villagers to rush to houses that were submerged and buried under the mud, in an attempt to rescue those who were trapped.

"A child was trapped in the mud, so we grabbed his arm to pull him out, but we eventually failed. My memory of that night is something of a blur," he said.

Yang Delu, Party chief of Jintian, was asleep when the quake woke him. "I ran outside, where the thick yellow mud looked as though it was two to three meters deep. I had no idea where it came from, so I immediately called higher authorities to seek assistance," he said.

Ma Guangjiong, a 67-year-old resident living on the perimeter of the village, who was watering his crops in a field when the quake struck, has listened to accounts of collapsed houses being buried deep in the mud.

"The sky somehow turned red at that moment. I thought that a nuclear bomb had been set off on the night of the earthquake. We knew people who died during the quake, because we worked together on the farmland for years. It is such a tragedy," he said.

Some cracks appeared on the roof of Ma's house, but the main structure remains intact. He and his wife have spent two nights at a communal shelter.

"We also received a tent from the Red Cross that we can pitch in front of our house to accommodate my family and neighbors," he said.

A total of 36 households were demolished by the roiling earth, and most of the remaining homes were also damaged, making them unsafe.

"I think I will sleep in tents for the coming days. It is cold because of a lack of stoves and quilts, but I feel much safer staying there than sleeping in my house," Ma said.

With the temperature likely to fall to minus 15 C in the evening, the mud and sediment blocking the roads are frozen into small mounds coated in thin ice. During the day, the ice shimmers in the sun.

An Jun, an official with the Qinghai branch of the Red Cross Society of China, said diesel fuel that is supposed to withstand temperatures far below 20 C is frozen hard as a rock in the evening.

Red Cross officials erected 43 tents at a resettlement shelter on Tuesday afternoon, An said.

"The first night was excruciatingly cold. Each tent is designed to shelter four people, but we had to fit six in one of them due to the large number of displaced villagers and volunteers spending the night here. It was actually better that way, as more people huddling together create warmth," An said.

More relief supplies and rescue workers are heading toward Jintian.

Yang, the village Party chief, said that as of Thursday afternoon, he had only taken a nap since the quake struck. Grabbing a discarded bottle of water from the roadside, he poured some of the contents over his face to refresh himself.

"I don't have time to sleep, chat or wash myself. Before night falls today, I must distribute jackets and quilts to the villagers," he said.

An added that he expected Thursday night to be a little more comfortable, thanks to shipments of coal and heating stoves that arrived in the past two days.

"Local residents are used to setting up a heating stove in the center of their homes to keep warm in winter. Putting them in a tent not only dispels the night chill to some extent, but also makes them feel more at home," he said.

Around 5 pm on Thursday, a team of Red Cross workers who specialize in setting up sanitary toilets in disaster-stricken areas arrived in the village.

"There is so much more to do for the villagers affected by the quake, but I think that in the shelters, lives are slowly getting back on track, with villagers' basic demands being met," An said.

In addition to collecting materials to withstand the cold, the main priority in Jintian on Thursday was clearing mud from the roads.

Officials did not give a specific time for the mud-clearing work to be completed. The only main road leading to the village was closed to most vehicles on Thursday, except for trucks tasked with removing the mud.

At least 10 cranes and excavators were stationed near mud-covered areas. Every few minutes, a truck loaded with mud and debris was driven out of the village.

Han Chenglu, who lives in Bazigou village, Qinghai, about 100 km from Jintian, is one of six cooks and staff members working together at the beef noodle stall.

"Seeing these quake-stricken communities in person is completely different from reading about them in the news. Some villagers still have tears in their eyes when I hand them a bowl of noodles," he said.

The stall opens around 10 am and does not close until all the villagers have gone to sleep at night, he said, adding, "We are striving to make a small contribution to help those affected by the quake."

Contact the writers at wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

It's a great relief filled with excitement when a father outside a delivery room is told by nurses that his wife and newly born baby are both safe and healthy.

The feeling of relief came even stronger for Ma Zhanhu, whose daughter couldn't wait to come to the world when a powerful earthquake hit his hometown in Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar autonomous county of Jishishan in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Northwest China's Gansu province late on Monday.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake hit at 11:59 pm on Monday and had a focal depth of 10 km.

At the time, Ma was preparing to take his wife to go to a local hospital because the pregnant woman had started suffering contractions.

"Suddenly my mind went blank. I saw my wife had no strength to get out of bed, so I protected her with my body and arms. When the shaking stopped, I carried her to a safe place outside right away," Ma recalled.

For a seven-kilometer route from his home to a hospital in the downtown of Jishishan county, it took Ma about an hour, since the roads had been damaged by the shock.

However, arriving at hospital didn't give them much relief, because some of the equipment in the hospital was temporarily unavailable, and there was no electricity in the delivery room, Ma said.

He then thought about transferring his wife to the hospital in Linxia, the county's upper administrative prefecture. But the doctor in the county's hospital told him that because the journey was far, there might be emergencies during the transfer.

They had no choice but to make his wife stay in an ambulance.

Their anxious waiting went on until after 3 am when the wife was transferred to a delivery room right after the power was brought back.

The baby was then born at 3:43 am on Tuesday, safe and sound weighing 3.75 kilograms.

"The moment I heard the words that my wife and daughter were both safe, I collapsed on the ground, totally relieved," Ma said.

He added that he wanted to show his gratitude to the medical staff, who risked their lives to help deliver the baby.

A total of 784 injured people have been received by medical institutions at the provincial, prefecture and county levels after a magnitude-6.2 earthquake in Gansu province on Monday, local officials said at a news conference on Thursday morning.

The quake mainly hit Jishishan county of the Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture in Gansu.

"After the earthquake, the provincial health commission immediately launched an emergency response and made every effort to treat the injured, provided psychological counseling and some other work," Bai Yuping, deputy director of the commission, said at the conference. "Medical treatment has been carried out in an effective and orderly manner."

Medical institutions opened special channels to ensure that mildly injured people would receive treatment nearby. Those more seriously injured were quickly transferred to provincial- and prefecture-level hospitals, where experts designed treatment plans for each of them.

"We also tried to restore normal medical service in the county," Bai said. "We have set up 19 medical treatment points and one mobile hospital to meet people's daily health needs."

The commission has dispatched 21 teams, with 21 ambulances and 63 medical workers to travel deep into 35 villages in the four most affected townships.

To strengthen the allocation of necessary drugs, in addition to restoring the normal operation of pharmacies, a total of 102,000 boxes of medicines for basic diseases such as colds, trauma, digestion, hypertension and diabetes have been deployed and distributed to the population.

At the same time, the provincial housing and construction department dispatched experts to the disaster areas to investigate the damage to buildings and municipal facilities, to assess construction needs and to make emergency repairs.

"As of 6 am on Thursday, engineering and technical experts have completed the preliminary investigation and assessment of kindergartens, schools and hospitals in Jishishan county," said Qin Jun, a department official. "Emergency assessments of all houses in 19 villages in two townships — Dahejia and Liuji, which were the most severely affected — have been completed."

Water and gas services in the county have resumed, and heating has been basically restored.

"It is expected that the emergency assessment of all housing buildings in 31 villages in three townships — Bougatan, Shiyuan and Liugou — will be completed on Thursday," Qin said. "The work in 105 villages of the other 12 townships in Jishishan will be done this week."

Video by Li Kaojun

Following the magnitude-6.2 earthquake in Gansu province's Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, assistance has been pouring in. All supplies are being transported, received and distributed by the quake relief headquarters, ensuring that the basic needs of the affected population are met, officials said at a news conference on Thursday.

The earthquake jolted Jishishan county at 11:59 pm on Monday and has resulted in 113 deaths and 782 injuries in Gansu as of Wednesday.

According to Han Shujun of the province's emergency management department, domestic provinces, regions and municipalities have extended their support by providing financial aid and urgently dispatching essential supplies.

Various sectors of society have donated to the disaster-hit area to help, Han said.

Lu Ze, executive deputy head of Linxia prefecture, said a wide range of relief supplies have been steadily arriving since 6 am on Tuesday.

As of 8 pm on Wednesday, supplies received from central and provincial governments included 5,100 tents, 30,500 cotton jackets, 35,800 cotton quilts, 20,400 folding beds, 15,000 waterproof mats and other crucial items such as stoves and lighting equipment.

Additionally, numerous enterprises, organizations and social groups have donated nearly 560,000 items, including cotton tents, quilts, jackets and essential food and water supplies, along with coal, diesel fuel and gasoline.

"All relief supplies are being centrally managed by the on-site command center's supply guarantee team, which is ensuring proper registration and distribution," Lu said at the news conference.

The allocation of supplies is based on the specific needs of affected towns and villages. Priority is given to heavily impacted areas and vulnerable populations.

Efforts are being made to streamline the distribution process, with detailed plans and dedicated personnel facilitating the swift delivery of supplies to affected people.

Lu said the immediate focus of relief efforts is to provide people with food, warm clothing, clean water, safe and warm shelters, access to medical services and a sense of security.

Future announcements regarding additional relief requirements will be made based on evolving needs in the ongoing relief effort, he said.

JISHISHAN, Gansu province -- Hospitals in Northwest China's Gansu province are currently administering treatments to a total of 784 people injured in the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted the province at 11:59 pm Monday, claiming 113 lives, according to a press conference held on Thursday.

They have been admitted to provincial, prefectural and county-level medical institutions in Gansu, said Bai Yuping, deputy director of the provincial health commission, adding that 19 temporary medical treatment stations and one mobile hospital have been set up to meet the needs of people in the disaster-hit areas.

In the past few days, 21 medical teams have been swiftly dispatched to 35 affected villages to conduct door-to-door visits, Bai said.

A total of 102,000 boxes of essential medicines for common ailments like cold, trauma, digestive tract issues, as well as hypertension and diabetes, have been distributed to those in need while further arrangements are being made to send more to the earthquake-affected areas, he added.

A total of 28 national and provincial-level mental health experts have rushed to Gansu to offer psychological counseling to hospitalized patients and their companions, the families of the victims, and those affected by the earthquake, including disaster relief workers, Bai said.

He added that Gansu is working to set up 35 psychological counseling teams, consisting of 70 members, to visit the 35 villages affected by the earthquake and deliver in-home psychological counseling services. In addition, over 50 mental health experts from various parts of the country will be invited to carry out online psychological crisis intervention and health consultations for the local people.

XINING -- The powerful earthquake that jolted Northwest China had no significant impact on several large hydropower stations in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, according to State Power Investment Corporation Limited.

The main bodies of the hydropower stations located less than 300 km from the epicenter and their associated facilities continue to operate normally, said the company.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake with a focal depth of 10 km jolted Gansu province and the neighboring Qinghai at 11:59 pm Monday, killing 113 and 18 people, respectively, in the two provinces.

As the earthquake struck, tremors of varying degrees affected Gongboxia, Lijiaxia, Laxiwa, and Longyangxia hydropower stations, where on-site inspections and risk assessments for aftershocks immediately occurred.

The inspections showed no abnormalities in the dams and hydropower structures, ensuring safe and smooth operation at all stations.

Following the earthquake, the Jishixia hydropower station, located about 16 km from the epicenter, reported three power units and a transmission line had tripped.

After emergency repairs, the power station has returned to regular operation and can adequately meet the electricity needs of the quake-affected area.

BEIJING -- The United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee has allocated 1 million yuan (about $140,000) from a poverty reduction fund to support the earthquake relief work in Jishishan county of Gansu province in Northwest China.

The department has also worked with the central committees of other political parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and the China Society for Promotion of the Guangcai Program, among others, to raise donations worth over 39 million yuan.

It also asked relevant departments to fully leverage their strengths to actively carry out relief work to help the people affected by the earthquake overcome difficulties and resume life and work as soon as possible.

Residents, rescuers and survivors tell of dealing with the Gansu earthquake

Monday night is already indelibly chiseled in the memory of 57-year-old Ma Maidong. After experiencing a 6.2 magnitude earthquake, he and his family, dressed in light clothing, waited to be rescued in an open field with temperatures dropping below-10 C.

A minute before midnight, an unexpected earthquake rattled Jishishan county in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Gansu province. By 9 am on Wednesday, the earthquake had caused 113 deaths and 782 injuries, according to the Gansu provincial earthquake relief headquarters. In nearby Qinghai province, 21 were dead and 198 injured, with 13 missing.

Ma, a resident of Yangwa village in Liuji township, one of the severely affected areas, has a family of nine. Fortunately, that night only he, his wife and his grandson were staying in the family residence. His two sons and their wives were working in other areas, while Ma's two other grandchildren were at a boarding school in the county.

Realizing the imminent danger, Ma hastily woke his wife and grandson and guided them to an open area outside the courtyard of their home seconds before the residence crumbled.

The outside temperature had plummeted and Ma saw many of his neighbors, similarly dressed in minimal clothing, anxiously watching events unfold as they stood in the open field. Eventually, they lit a fire to keep warm.

"We were so afraid, and it was extremely cold. The mixed feelings puzzled me," he said.

The village roads to the outside world were blocked by mudslides and rocks. Ma regained his composure and called relatives in the county and arranged for them to pick up his two grandchildren at the boarding school.

"The collapsed house can be rebuilt later. Faced with such a natural disaster it's fortunate that there were no casualties among my family members," he said.

Ma's grandchildren are currently sheltering with him and his wife in a disaster-relief tent provided by local authorities. He estimates it will cost 500,000 yuan to rebuild his home, which will have to wait until spring when it is warmer. Construction activities are currently hindered by the low temperatures.

The earthquake's epicenter was in Jishishan county. Cities in Gansu, including Lanzhou, Qingyang and Pingliang, experienced noticeable tremors. As of 8 am on Tuesday, the China Earthquake Networks Center had recorded 32 aftershocks, with the highest intensity being a 4.1 magnitude quake.

In Jishishan, school walls collapsed and buildings were damaged, but all students were safely relocated and appeared to be suffering no emotional trauma, according to local authorities.

Zhang Shunshan, vice-principal of Gajichunlei Primary School in Liugou township, Jishishan, said after the earthquake that 79 boarding students had followed practice drills and were quickly evacuated safely to the playground. Temperatures were below — 10 C and teachers used charcoal to light fires and provided quilts to keep the students warm.

Zhang said after ensuring the safety of students, teachers promptly notified parents and guardians to pick them up. All 79 students were safely collected by 10 am Tuesday.

Immediately following the disaster, over 4,500 personnel and more than 820 vehicles from the PLA Western Theater Command, the Gansu Provincial Military Command, People's Armed Police Force Gansu Corps, Gansu provincial fire rescue corps, as well as provincial and nongovernmental emergency rescue teams were mobilized to the disaster area.

Liu Xuefeng, deputy commander of Gansu Provincial Forest Fire Brigade, said that they arrived at Jishishan around 2 am on Tuesday and quickly initiated rescue operations.

Residential houses were severely damaged, especially rural homes with little earthquake resistance. The low temperatures forced many residents to gather wood and light fires for warmth, he said.

Liu said an early challenge for the rescuers was providing enough food, drinking water, shelter and heating devices for the survivors. However, through coordination with government departments at all levels, these challenges were gradually addressed. Food supplies, heating and other necessities have been steadily distributed to the affected areas.

On Wednesday, the rescue teams started to focus on search and rescue work and erecting temporary tents. Under the disaster management plan, Liu's team was assigned to survey all villages in a designated area and rescue any individuals trapped under rubble.

The Gansu Provincial Emergency Management Department said on Wednesday the rescue work is almost over. The focus of on-site personnel will shift to treating the injured and resettling affected residents, while ensuring the safety of people's lives and property.

Medical rescue teams from provinces, prefectures and counties sent 19 teams comprising 667 people and 99 ambulances to assess and classify the injured and transfer them to hospitals.

Severely affected residents have been relocated to safer areas. Governments at all levels have allocated a huge amount of emergency relief materials, including tents, quilts, lights, folding beds and waterproof mats. Food and daily necessities are also being distributed to the affected areas to ensure people have clothing, food and shelter.

All highways, national and provincial main roads, and rural roads have been restored and are open to traffic.

Power has been fully restored to all earthquake-affected areas.

People's Armed Police Force officers and doctors have told how they raced against time to carry out rescues and provide medical treatment in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province.

In the early hours of Tuesday, after the epicenter of the earthquake struck Jishishan county, PAPF Gansu Corps initiated emergency response measures.

A total of 333 officers rushed to hard-hit villages in Liuji township to start emergency rescue operations.

Officers from the Linxia detachment of the PAPF Gansu Corps were the first rescuers from the force to arrive at the disaster site. The detachment sent over 200 officers to search for and rescue trapped people, repair roads, transport supplies and erect tents.

Tashi Tseten, 26, a native of Qinghai province, was one of the first officers to arrive at Yangwa village in Liuji, at around 3 am.

Due to road blocks caused by fallen rocks and mud, rescue and other vehicles couldn't reach the affected village. Tashi Tseten and his comrades, equipped with tools and emergency lights, hiked several kilometers to reach the village as the outdoor temperature reached-10 C.

As they approached the village, officers saw people waiting for rescue by the roadside, some of whom were injured. Most of the villagers had hastily evacuated their homes and were clad in light clothing. The soldiers quickly took off their own coats and wrapped them around the injured people.

After assessing the injured, Tashi Tseten immediately picked up a child with a leg injury and carried the youngster to a safe area 1 kilometer away.

He then returned, and along with his comrades took an elderly person with a severe abdominal injury to an ambulance for further medical care.

Recalling the scene when he arrived at the village, Tashi Tseten said the buildings were in a precarious state with bricks and tiles falling from walls and roofs.

"When I saw the injured, I felt a sense of urgency. Without thinking much, my primary focus was to quickly carry the injured to a safe area, ensuring they received timely medical treatment. We also needed to prioritize their safety during the transportation, avoiding secondary injuries," he explained.

On that night, Tashi Tseten also participated in the rescue of seven trapped people. According to the PAPF Gansu Corps, as of 7:30 am Tuesday, they had successfully rescued and relocated 45 trapped people and recovered eight bodies.

It is Tashi Tseten's fifth year of service and he said he had not experienced an earthquake before. "In times when the people need us, as an armed police officer, I should step forward to shoulder my responsibility," he said.

His unit is primarily tasked with setting up tents and transporting supplies. He and his comrades have erected over 100 tents.

Six doctors accompanied the detachment to provide medical assistance, including 35-year-old Wang Xiaoling. On Wednesday, she examined residents in Yangwa village.

Zhou Ase, 35, a Yangwei villager, had undergone gynecological surgery just eight days before the earthquake. Her abdominal wound had not yet healed, and her doctor had advised her to rest at home. However, when the earthquake struck, her husband hurriedly pulled her from bed, causing a tear in the stitches.

Wang located Zhou in a tent and after consulting with a gynecology specialist via a telephone conference, recommended that Zhou undergo further examination at a nearby hospital. However, Zhou expressed her desire to rest for a while, considering the recent earthquake.

Respecting the villager's wishes, Wang provided treatment and recovery advice, prescribing medications for related symptoms.

Major universities across the country are extending helping hands to students in earthquake-hit areas in Northwest China, aiming to help them overcome difficulties.

Temporary hardship allowances, plus psychological counseling services, are now being offered to students whose families were affected by the disaster.

In Gansu province, where a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck, local universities are doing what they can to financially support and appease students from the families affected by the quake.

Ma Xiaojie, Party chief of Lanzhou University, immediately set up a special task force to visit the campus and student dormitories to respond in a timely manner to students' needs, according to a statement released by the university.

Ma urged relevant departments in his university to open a special channel for temporary assistance to the students in disaster-stricken areas as soon as possible to ensure their normal lives on campus.

Lanzhou-based Northwest Minzu University has so far provided temporary hardship allowances valued at 47,000 yuan ($6,700) to 91 students affected by the disaster.

Northwest Normal University has decided to provide the first batch of temporary hardship subsidies worth 121,000 yuan to 121 students from families in earthquake-stricken areas, including Jishishan county in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture of Gansu and Haidong city in Qinghai province.

As of Wednesday noon, Lanzhou University has distributed the first batch of special temporary hardship subsidies of 49,400 yuan to 32 students including An Jixi, a student from the First Clinical Medical College of the university. "It's timely help for me and my family," he said, adding that his family's house in Linxia collapsed due to the quake.

In Beijing, Renmin University of China has fully deployed emergency assistance for quake-affected students, including providing temporary hardship subsidies on Tuesday morning.

Similarly, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications has opened an appointment channel for psychological counseling for students from disaster-stricken areas, which can provide immediate psychological counseling.

In Shanghai, 57 students from the disaster-affected areas had been identified by Tuesday night. Local universities and colleges are offering temporary hardship subsidies valued from 500 to 3,000 yuan to each of the students, according to the city's education department.

In Tianjin, in addition to temporary hardship subsidies, teachers and counselors from Tianjin University of Technology talked one-on-one to the students from quake-hit families.

In Guangdong province, universities are also offering temporary hardship allowances to such students. An assessment of how many students are from the quake areas and how their families have been affected has been carried out, according to a statement released by the Guangdong Department of Education on Wednesday.

South China University of Technology promptly provided funding for its students from stricken areas. It sent one-on-one messages urging students to contact the university if they encounter difficulties.

At the same time, counselors and teachers are following up on the studies and lives of these students.

Ma Jingna in Linxia, Gansu province, and Zhang Jiexin in Guangzhou contributed to this story.

People and organizations in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have chipped in to help people in quake-hit areas in Gansu province.

Donations made through the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR included prominent philanthropic organizations like the Li Ka Shing Foundation, established by Hong Kong business tycoon Li Ka-shing, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, one of the city's largest charitable groups, with contributions each of HK$20 million ($2.5 million).

Li and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, chief executive officer of the jockey club, expressed their wishes for an early resumption of normal life in the affected areas, and hoped the donations could help tide the affected people over difficult times.

The office also received donations of money and materials from a wide range of organizations and groups. Sino Group, one of the city's leading property developers, donated 2 million yuan ($285,000) in the name of the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation.

The Hong Kong Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (Provincial) Members Association also contributed HK$2 million, with the Friends of Hong Kong Association giving HK$1 million, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions HK$300,000, the Hong Kong Gansu Association HK$100,000, while Zhao Dongping, chairman of the Hong Kong Gansu Association, gave a HK$200,000 donation and another HK$200,000 in materials.

In addition, the city's gas provider, The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas), doled out 1 million yuan to support relief organizations on the mainland involved in the quake-stricken area, while extending heartfelt sympathies to the affected and high regard for relief workers.

In Macao, the city's leading gaming and resorts operator MGM China Holdings donated 10 million patacas ($1.2 million) and the Macau Red Cross offered a grant of 200,000 yuan.

MGM's donations were extended through the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR for emergency relief measures and post-disaster recovery work.

Pansy Ho Chiu-king, chairperson and executive director of MGM China Holdings, said the whole nation is grieving for their mainland compatriots hit by the earthquake. She said immediate relief measures are needed in this critical hour, and hoped the people of Gansu will swiftly recover from the disaster.

The Macau Red Cross decided to allocate 200,000 yuan to the Gansu branch of the Red Cross Society of China for purchasing relief materials, saying it will continue to pay close attention to conditions in quake-stricken areas, and maintain close contact with the Red Cross Society of China and its Gansu branch in order to take prompt action.

The 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province at midnight Monday, killing over 130 and injuring hundreds more. The search and rescue has lasted for more than 30 hours and is ongoing, with 13 people still missing in Qinghai. The amount of sand and silt earthworks in the affected area is huge, making the rescue extremely difficult.

BEIJING -- The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee has issued a circular calling on primary-level CPC organizations and CPC members to fulfill their responsibilities in meteorological disaster response and earthquake relief.

The circular came following a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted a county in Northwest China's Gansu province on Monday. Meanwhile, disasters induced by low temperatures, rain, snow and freezing conditions have also affected multiple regions of China, impacting power supply, transport, people's work and lives significantly.

The document called on leading officials at all levels in the impacted areas to prioritize protecting people's lives and property, and ordered further efforts in areas such as risk assessment, early warning procedures, organization and coordination, and emergency response.

The circular said that primary-level CPC organizations and Party members should stick to their posts and take the lead in rescue and relief work.

It called for all-out efforts to rescue people who remain trapped in the rubble, treat the injured, provide proper shelters for the affected population, ensure the people's basic needs, repair damaged facilities, and make active preparations for post-disaster recovery and reconstruction work.

Organizational departments at all levels in the affected areas should mobilize and organize primary-level Party organizations and Party members to take on their responsibilities and make contributions to the disaster relief work, the notice said.

XINING -- The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted Northwest China at midnight Monday has killed 22 people in Qinghai province, local authorities said.

As of 8:56 pm Wednesday, the disaster had injured 198 people in Qinghai, with 12 others still missing, the provincial emergency management department said.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake jolted at 11:59 pm Monday and has a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter Liugou township is about 8 km from the county seat of the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar autonomous county of Jishishan in Gansu province.

By Wednesday morning, a total of 113 people were confirmed dead in Gansu.

Quake: Green channels set up for swift aid

A bonfire at a temporary shelter in Jishishan county, Gansu province, near the epicenter of Monday's magnitude 6.2 earthquake, rekindled among survivors the hope of rebuilding their lives after the disaster as they endured frigid temperatures in the remote mountains of northwestern China.

Huddled inside a tent with her family, Ma Nuer, a resident of Kexinmin village, located near the epicenter, recalled how their house turned into a pile of rubble within a matter of seconds.

"The quake struck just before midnight. My husband, our two sons and I rushed to the nearest exit — a window — and jumped out. Our house collapsed in front of our eyes in 10 seconds or so," the 32-year-old woman said.

The family spent the first few hours after the disaster shivering in the open. "The rescuers arrived and put up tents for us. We were given noodles and baked buns."

Ma said she knows that rebuilding their lives from scratch won't be an easy task, but the swift mobilization of aid for the survivors has given her immense hope.

"I don't know what happened to our belongings, or whether we can salvage anything at all. But at least tonight, my family and I have fire and a shelter to keep us warm," she said.

Kexinmin village, which has a population of around 1,400 people, is among the areas hardest hit by the quake in Jishishan county, which is located in Gansu's Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture. Hundreds of displaced villagers were relocated to three temporary shelters by Tuesday evening.

As of Wednesday morning, the earthquake had killed more than 130 people and injured hundreds in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai province.

An inspection conducted at the Liujiaxia Hydropower Station showed that the dam and other facilities, including the spillway structures, were functioning normally, the team said. China's first megawatt hydropower station is located around 50 kilometers from the epicenter. The quake was strongly felt in the area, which prompted a level IV emergency response.

Search and rescue efforts ended at 3 pm on Tuesday, and priority work now includes treating the injured and rehabilitating the displaced, the team said at the news conference.

By Wednesday morning, 130,000 relief items, including tents, stoves, quilts and folding beds, had been sent to the quake-stricken areas.

A total of 87,076 people from 20,457 households had been relocated to temporary shelters, according to the Gansu provincial emergency management department.

Adequate food and heating arrangements have been made at these shelters. Provisional dwelling units are being set up to ensure each household has at least one fully insulated tent for the winter. Daily necessities, water and electricity will be guaranteed at these relocation sites, according to the department.

Wang Xihong, a member of an emergency rescue team administered by the Gansu branch of Red Cross Society of China, said he arrived at Kexinmin village around 3 am on Tuesday and has been working nonstop since, looking for trapped residents, removing debris on roads and setting up shelters.

"I need to catch a few winks of sleep, but taking a break is not on my mind right now. We have to help as many people as possible. Our top priority is keeping everyone warm in this frigid weather," he said.

Early Wednesday, a truck loaded with 1,440 quilts and 150 folding beds arrived at Kexinmin. "We still need more quilts and jackets to keep the chill out at night," Wang said.

The insulated tents being set up for quake survivors are designed to last at least three months, according to Wang. "More equipment and materials are being transported to build outdoor toilets and infrastructure to ensure clean water," he added.

To ensure smooth supply of relief materials to the affected areas, the Gansu transportation department swiftly cleared highways, expressways and rural roads that were buried in debris during the quake. Green channels have been set up at toll stations leading to affected areas to provide all relief vehicles free passage.

Planning for post-disaster reconstruction work has also started. The local authorities are consulting experts in various fields to assess the extent of damage to make preparations for a speedy all-around recovery.

Zhang Yu and Zhao Ruixue contributed to this story.

In the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in northwestern China, the nation has mobilized its satellite fleet to aid rescue and recovery efforts, acquiring crucial images and data of the affected areas.

The Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources deployed the Ziyuan 3B and Gaofen 1B, 1C and 1D satellites to capture detailed images of the quake-struck region in Gansu province. The center pledged to further utilize additional satellites in the ongoing support.

Meanwhile, the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, activated its Gaofen 4 and Environmental Disaster Reducer 2A satellites to gather data on the disaster zone.

Both centers confirmed that the acquired images and data have been promptly shared with relief authorities to guide their response.

The deployment of this satellite imagery follows Monday's 6.2-magnitude earthquake, which tragically claimed over 130 lives, making it China's deadliest in nine years.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Gansu province triggered sand boils in two villages of neighboring Qinghai province on Tuesday, with several villagers reported missing, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The sand boils occurred in the villages of Jintian and Caotan in Minhe county, Haidong of Qinghai province, resulting in a substantial number of homes being engulfed and washed away by mud.

According to Xinhua, as of 5:30 am on Wednesday, nine people from two households in Jintian were yet to be found.

Rescue efforts are ongoing. Wang Lyu, deputy head of the Qinghai team of China's National Fire and Rescue Administration, told Xinhua that 157 rescuers were busy working in the region, with many digging in the mud using spades and shovels because large excavation machines couldn't reach the rescue sites.

Han Yanyan, a senior engineer from the China Earthquake Networks Center, said that the natural phenomenon is the result of the fairly large earthquake that shook the area and does not necessarily indicate that any aftershock could follow.

Following a strong earthquake, the seismic activity in the Earth's crust causes a phenomenon called liquefaction in the deep layers of sandy soil containing water. This liquefied sand layer could reach the surface directly under pressure, resulting in sand boils, Han added.

Social organizations promptly responded to the earthquake in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, sending relief supplies for rescue work at the frontline.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Gansu and Qinghai provinces at midnight Monday caused over 130 deaths.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the temperature in the area is expected to reach -14 to one degrees in the next three days.

On Tuesday morning, the first batch of 30 tents, collected by Children's Welfare Association in Qinghai and One Foundation, a non-governmental organization that focuses on disaster relief and children's welfare protection, were sent to the Jishishan county, the epicenter of the quake.

Some other supplies including 150 tents, 700 sleeping bags, 1,000 bed quilts, 200 warm kits for disaster rescue and 480 folding beds, donated by One Foundation and other social organizations, were sent to the front line on Tuesday afternoon.

Major universities in Guangdong province are offering temporary hardship allowances to students whose families were affected by the recent earthquake in Gansu and Qinghai provinces.

An assessment of how many students are from the quake areas and how their families have been affected has been carried out, according to statement released by the Guangdong Department of Education on Wednesday.

At Sun Yat-sen University, students from the quake zone have been urged to contact their teachers and counselors, as the university will provide temporary financial assistance for students in need. It has established a special hotline and an e-mail address so students can contact the university for any help, it said in a statement.

South China University of Technology promptly provided funding for its students from stricken areas. It sent one-on-one messages urging students to contact the university if they encounter difficulties.

At the same time, counselors and teachers are following up on the studies and lives of students whose families are affected. The university has 14 students from Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, where the quake hit hard.

Shenzhen University is offering subsidies to help students overcome their difficulties. Students can apply for the hardship subsidies both online and offline, the university said.

South China Agricultural University also attached great importance to the situation of students whose families are suffering. To help those students, the university is providing financial aid to those in need.

The university will provide corresponding hardship allowances based on individual circumstances for students whose immediate family members have died or lost contact, who have been disabled or rendered unable to work or whose houses having been damaged or destroyed. Allowance will also help with other significant losses that have created financial difficulties for students' families.

China's main Communist Party of China personnel management and Party building body has allocated 100 million yuan ($14 million) from the Party funds to northwestern China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces to support rescue, relief and rebuilding work in quake-stricken areas.

The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee emphasized that this fund should be distributed promptly to grass-root levels on designated purposes, including supporting the rescue personnel on the front lines, condoling affected people, and aiding the renovation and rebuilding of education facilities for grassroots Party members.

The department said that Party members and cadres should take the lead to the front lines of earthquake relief, making every effort to treat the injured, resettle the affected, ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and carry out post-disaster reconstruction work in a timely manner.

Party organizations are required to mobilize all the resources to provide support and evaluate the work of the cadres.

The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China has activated emergency responses to support the rescue work in Northwest China's Gansu province and its neighboring Qinghai province soon after they were hit by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake at midnight last Monday.

According to a release by the youth league on Tuesday afternoon, it has allocated financial funds of one million yuan ($140,000) to Gansu and 300,000 yuan to Qinghai, and has sent a working team to support the rescue work to these two provinces.

The provincial-level youth league in Gansu has also made efforts of raising financial support of 300,000 yuan as of noon of Tuesday, to the earthquake-stricken areas.

Youth leagues at all levels in Gansu have so far collected rescue supplies worthy over 20 million yuan, including 280 tents, 20,000 down jackets and instant foods. These supplies are so far well-organized and being transferred to the earthquake-stricken areas.

Youth leagues from other provinces and cities such as Zhejiang province and Shanghai have also made their contributions to support the rescue work. For example, the youth league and other youth foundations in Shanghai jointly allocated 100,000 yuan to the youth development foundation in Gansu and donated supplies such as children's down jackets and masks to protect the local youths from the winter cold.

The earthquake has killed 113 people in Gansu and 18 in Qinghai as of 9 am on Wednesday, according to the local governments.