President Hu Pledges All-out Rebuilding Efforts

Chinese President Hu Jintao visited quake-hit Yushu in northwest China's Qinghai Province on April 19th, vowing to help victims rebuild their homes as most of them now settle in tents with basic needs met.

 The 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu Wednesday morning, had left at least 1,706 dead, 256 missing and 12,128 injured, as of 10 a.m. on April 18th.

There will be new homes

In a morale-raising visit to quake-hit Yushu, Hu assured locals of new homes and schools and steadfast relief work.

"There will be new schools! There will be new homes!" Hu wrote in chalk on a blackboard in a makeshift classroom in a tent of orphaned students.

The president led the students in reading aloud the words he wrote on the blackboard.

The Yushu School for Orphans visited by Hu was the first one to resume classes. 60 primary and middle school students and more than 10 teachers sang the national anthem before classes began at 3:30 p.m. on April 18th

The president also talked to an injured Tibetan man in a medical tent.

"The Party and the government care about all the victims of the quake. Doctors will give you meticulous treatment...The party and the government will help with a new home...You should have confidence and recover," Hu said as he held the injured man's hands.

The Tibetan man replied, "Thank you, General Secretary. Tashi Delek!" (Tashi Delek means good luck in Tibetan)

Hu's plane landed at Yushu's Batang Airport on April 18th morning after an over-three-hour flight from Beijing.

The president, who returned to China on April 18th from a shortened visit to Latin America, headed for worst-hit Gyegu Town in Yushu immediately after landing.

Concerted relief efforts continue

Chinese rescuers have saved a 68-year-old man who was trapped under earthquake rubble for 100 hours.

The old man was rescued at about 11 a.m. on April 19th  in Gyegu Town, Yushu, and his condition appeared stable, rescuers said. The man was later taken to hospital.

Most quake victims had settled in tents and were provided with food, clean water and other basic needs, and those with injuries and illness could be timely treated, Zou Ming with the Ministry of Civil Affairs said at a press conference in Beijing on April 18th .

Hundreds of technicians were repairing damaged power and water supply lines in quake-hit Yushu in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local officials said on April 18th .

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) vowed all-out efforts to help resume telecommunications in Yushu.

As of 7 a.m. on April 18th, 42 of 185 mobile base stations had been unavailable as a result of disruptions to power and fuel supplies, according to the MIIT.

Ministry of Transport also vowed on April 18th to spare no effort in ensuring smooth transportation to ensure speedy transfer of the injured and delivery of relief supplies.

Chinese disease-control experts joined with armed corps to begin large-scale disinfection of the debris and ruins.

The disinfection aims to prevent water pollution, marmot plagues and outbreaks of respiratory and intestinal diseases in the wake of the disaster, local authorities said.

China's quality watchdog vowed on April 19th to conduct strict checks on the quality of quake relief materials to ensure safety of these products.

By 5 p.m. on April 18th , it had checked 10,020 quilts, 5,023 cotton-padded overcoats, 6,086 tents, 100 mattresses and 10 wool comforters and ferreted out 420 overcoats padded with shoddy cotton among other inferior goods.

Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on April 18th it would send 30 specially modified vans as mobile stores to the quake-hit zone.

The first 10 vans were to arrive at the quake zone in several days, followed by the other 20.

Social order in Yushu has remained stable, a Public Security Ministry official said.

No criminal cases, major traffic accidents, or major security incidents have so far been reported in the quake zones, Wu Heping, a spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security told a press conference.

Donations stream inQinghai Province had received RMB375 million in donations since the earthquake struck the region Wednesday, the provincial bureau of finance said on April 19th .

The province has also received donated goods and supplies worth RMB 61.18 million.

National civil affairs authorities have prepared 45,550 tents, 164,240 cotton coats, 198,210 quilts, 100,000 portions of field food and 327.25 tonnes of instant food, as of 3 p.m. on April 19th , the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

A RMB 100,000-donation from the 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, was sent to China's quake zone in Yushu, northwestern province of Qinghai, on April 19th, along with his encouraging words.

A 20-member medical team from Taiwan at the night of April 19th arrived in Xining, ready to offer treatment to people injured in the earthquake.

The medical team, bringing more than 1,000 kg of medicine and equipment, arrived at the Caojiapu airport in Xining, capital of Qinghai, at about 9 p.m., the Red Cross in Qinghai said.

(Source: Xinhua)