Tents arrive for survivors of earthquake that killed at least 126 people in frozen Tibet

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Rescue workers conduct search and rescue operations for survivors following the earthquake that struck Changsu Town of Dingri in Shigazi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on January 7. Jigme Dorji/The Associated Press

Rescuers in the frigid region of Tibet in western China searched for a second day for any remaining victims from the deadly earthquake that struck near a city holy to Tibetan Buddhists, before turning their focus to relocating survivors.

More tents, quilts, stoves and other relief items were delivered on Wednesday to people whose homes had become uninhabitable or unsafe. Temperatures drop below freezing overnight in an area with an average elevation of about 4,200 meters (13,800 ft).

In a video broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV, workers can be seen setting up rows of tents with metal frames and stakes after nightfall on Tuesday. They were intended as a temporary shelter, and were lined with padding to keep out the cold. The workers distributed packaged food items to the shelter occupants, and wore blue winter jackets over their orange uniforms.

The confirmed death toll stood at 126 people and 188 injured as of Tuesday evening, and no further updates were issued during the day on Wednesday. Work has shifted from search and rescue to resettlement and reconstruction, Hong Lei, director of Tibet's emergency management, said at a late afternoon news conference.

The earthquake struck a remote county in the city of Shigatse, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the second highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism. It was not immediately known whether he was in Tashi Lunpo Monastery at the time or the extent of the damage to Tibet's second-largest city. The epicenter of the quake was about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the main part of the city, which is called Shigaze in Chinese and extends across a high plain.

More than 500 aftershocks were recorded after the earthquake, which the US Geological Survey said had a magnitude of 7.1. The China Earthquake Center recorded a magnitude of 6.8. The earthquake also occurred about 75 kilometers (50 miles) from Mount Everest and the border with Nepal, where shaking caused people to flee their homes in the capital.

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Wednesday night in Dharamsala, India, home of the Dalai Lama, the highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and a large Tibetan population. An announcement on the Dalai Lama's website said he would lead a prayer service in memory of the victims on Thursday.

The Chinese government considers the Dalai Lama determined to make Tibet independent from China.

In response to a question about the prayer ceremony, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun said: “We are very clear about the separatist nature and political designs of the Dalai Lama and remain very vigilant.”

Guo expressed confidence that people in the quake zone will be able to rebuild under the “strong leadership” of China's ruling Communist Party.

The Chinese government and the Dalai Lama's followers have been feuding over who should fill the position of Panchen Lama since the disappearance of a boy appointed by the Dalai Lama in the mid-1990s, and a Chinese-backed candidate has been approved for the position. The Dalai Lama denounced the move and refused to recognize the current Panchen Lama.

The Chinese government says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but many Tibetans say they were functionally independent for most of that period. The Chinese People's Liberation Army invaded the region in 1950 and the Dalai Lama fled to India nine years later during an uprising against Chinese rule, which was seen as an erosion of Tibet's unique Buddhist culture.

The official Xinhua News Agency quoted the village's Communist Party leader, Tsering Phuntsog, as saying that the death toll from the earthquake included at least 22 of the 222 residents of Corum. Among the victims was his 74-year-old mother, and many of his relatives remained buried. Under the rubble.

“Even young people couldn't get out of their homes when the earthquake hit, let alone the elderly and children,” Tsering Phuntsog said.

Footage broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV showed orange-clad rescue workers with police search dogs climbing over huge pieces of debris in the ruins of homes. In the most affected areas, rows of houses were reduced to rubble. Blue emergency tents were set up nearby, topped with bright red Chinese flags fluttering in the wind.

State media said that more than 3,600 homes collapsed, according to a preliminary survey, and 46,000 residents were moved to other places.

Tibet is generally closed to foreign journalists due to reports of mistreatment of residents by Chinese authorities.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, who visited survivors in the quake-affected area, called for accelerating the post-disaster reconstruction process to ensure they are safe and warm this winter, Xinhua reported. She added that electricity and communications have been restored in the area, allowing emergency goods to be delivered more smoothly.

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the northern slopes of the Himalayas near one of Tibet's holiest cities on January 7, according to Chinese authorities. It killed dozens of people and shook buildings in neighboring Nepal, Bhutan and India.

Reuters

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