Rescue and relief efforts underway after quake kills 16, injures 76 in Xizang

Rescue and relief operations continued on Saturday in Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, as emergency workers and volunteers rushed to help residents affected by Thursday night's magnitude-7.0 earthquake.

The quake, which struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday, has killed 16 people and injured 76 others, with 339 houses reported collapsed, according to a regional government. Authorities said on Friday that three rounds of searches had been completed, with no people reported missing.

The regional government upgraded its emergency disaster relief response to Level II, effective Friday, to strengthen rescue operations and assistance to affected residents.

In some of the hardest-hit villages in Maru township, rescue teams have been searching damaged buildings, setting up temporary shelters and delivering essential supplies. Volunteers have also joined the relief effort, offering food and other assistance to displaced residents.

Sonam Ngodrub, who runs a Tibetan restaurant in Nagchu, traveled to one of the affected villages after the earthquake.

"I run a Tibetan restaurant, and there isn't much else I can do apart from helping others," he said. "Every day, I can provide 100 to 150 kilograms of Tibetan noodles free of charge, along with roasted barley flour and sweet tea."