Chinese Premier visits quake-affected areas, inspects relief efforts

While touring the afflicted villages in northwest China, Chinese Premier Li Qing asked the rescue and relief teams to ensure that the residents in the earthquake-stricken areas survive the winter in safety. On Saturday, Li travelled to many villages in the bordering provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, as well as Minhe County. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked the area on Monday night around midnight left 148 people dead and 781 injured in addition to toppling numerous buildings. Li spoke with catastrophe survivors during the visit and gained knowledge of the work involved in temporary housing building, relief supplies distribution, and relocation. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, he stated that keeping the affected people warm and secure over the winter was the primary priority of the relief workers now on the ground. Li asked relief workers to work quickly to build temporary homes for those who are now living in tents and to deliver daily essentials and relief materials to the victims in the settlements. According to Li, structures in the earthquake-affected areas should be inspected and strengthened as needed to allow inhabitants to return and reopen vital services like hospitals and schools. According to him, coordinated plans for reconstruction should be made to help the locals better their living conditions and save them from becoming impoverished as a result of the calamity. He gave the go-ahead for emergency personnel to treat earthquake victims as best they could. Additionally, the premier gave local governments instructions to promptly disseminate information about disaster relief and actively address the concerns of the impacted populace. China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) has sent 1,335 pieces of communication equipment and cold prevention materials, among other disaster relief supplies, to Gansu and Qinghai, according to Xinhua. (With agency inputs)