At 9:05am on January 7th, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Dingri County in Shizan Autonomous Region.

The remote area in southwest China is nearly 5,000 meters above sea level and home to about 60,000 people. Just 10 minutes after the quake, the first rescue plane was airborne for the disaster zone. Within half an hour, rescue teams were on the ground, clearing debris and searching for survivors. Support poured in almost immediately. Donations of money and supplies floated from across the country, while rescue teams and volunteers were mobilized to assist.

Among those who responded were my colleague Xu Yaowen and volunteer Dawah Joma from neighboring Ximengtong County. In today's episode, Yaowen shares her first-hand account from Dingri County, a story of swift rescue efforts, the resilience of the community, and the first steps toward recovery. It's Tuesday, January 21st.

So, Yaowen, what were the donations that Dawah Zhuo Ma brought to the people affected by the earthquake? Well, Dawah Zhuo Ma, she was one of the volunteers I encountered in Dingzhi County in China's southwestern Shizan region.

She's originally from Xiatongmen County, where she drove for about four hours to Zuotuo Village in Qiluo Township, Dingyuan County, one of the regions most affected by the earthquake in Tibet.

So on the fourth day after the earthquake struck the region, she and her friend brought warm winter clothing and shoes to local children. Why she did that? Because she found out by research and asking around about what they need the most at the region. She told me,

like they had enough essential supplies already. And one thing they needed at here, Suo Chuo village, Dingzhi County, was the winter clothing for children specifically. That's why she did that. And she drove, as I said, four hours a day

over and provide support, bringing some warmth and care to those children in need. Yeah, I'm sure there were many other volunteers that went over to Dingliu County and brought their donations. Did you get the chance to speak with other volunteers? And I'm wondering where they came from and what did they bring to the people there? Yeah,

Yes, you are right. I saw a substantial number of volunteers both on my flight from Lhasa to Skazhe and also upon my arrival in Dingzhi County. And these volunteers brought essential supplies like clothes, food, medical supplies, temporary tents, and also prefabricated houses.

Also, we saw professional teams who worked as translators and psychological counselors went there to help. I'll give you one example. On my flight to Skaza, a lady sitting next to me flew in from Shanghai.

She is the leader of a non-profit organization that participated in disaster relief work this time. Her organization purchased supplies from Tibet and sent to the most affected areas, such as stoves and cauldowns.

So this is a local Tibetan's traditional method of heating. This organization also organized the local volunteers who speak Tibetan to work as translators and provide those support to earthquake victims.

On top of that, I saw volunteers from Lhasa, from surrounding provinces like Sichuan, and also from Xizang, Shannan, Gansu, Qinghai Chamber of Commerce. They work there for over 10 hours a day to cook for the local residents who lived in the temporary shelters.

They provide health meals like beef noodles so that local residents, they don't have to eat instant noodles every day. So I found it deeply admirable is that because these volunteers also face the challenges of high altitude sickness, but

But still, they insisted on working on site to provide those help, which was very heartwarming. So after the earthquake, there were people coming in from all around the country to bring their donations and support. And in the case of Dawah Zhoma, she and her friend, they drove about four hours from a different county and brought clothes, which is probably a

a very essential material for Xizan in such a high altitude. How rough is the winter time over there in Dingyuan County on the high plateau? And did you find the climate challenging there? Indeed, the winter in Dingyuan County is extremely harsh. Think about this. Here we're in Beijing, right? The altitude of the city is only about 40 meters above the sea level. That's about 130 feet.

Whereas at Dingri County, the altitude is over 4,200 meters above sea level. And that means the air in Dingri County contains much less oxygen and making it harder to breathe and sometimes causing headache and dizziness like for people who are not from the local area. So when I was there, I had to move slowly to consume less oxygen to make sure I keep my mind straight.

And also at night, temperatures can drop below freezing. Like combined with the aftershocks and also the ongoing recovery efforts, so the winter climate posed a major obstacle for both the local people and the rescue teams on the ground.

Following a major earthquake, there will be aftershocks. Yes. Did you experience any aftershock? You know, we can't say it's 100% safe, but I'll tell you like every day after I went there, we experienced aftershocks. On a daily basis? On a daily basis. You know, when we were outside covering news, you don't feel it at all.

that much, but especially after we returned to the hotel when I was working on my laptop or when I was lying on the bed, you can feel it even though it was mild. Most of the time it was below the magnitude of 4, but some were very strong, like reaching magnitudes of 4.9 or 5. That was the day before I left.

So I could literally feel the desk shaking, like the building shaking. And it just reminded me of how difficult and challenging the situation still was for local residents. But the good thing is they were living in the tents. You know, on the ground, you couldn't really, there was no roof over your head, so it

It wasn't that much dangerous as before, but still, it was challenging. So the earthquake took place on the 7th of January. And which was the day that you arrived in Dingyuan County? On the 10th. The 10th? Yes. So three days after the earthquake, what was your first impression of the place? You know, my first impression was one of the devastation.

Many buildings had collapsed, especially at Dingzhi County's Changkou Township, Suogong Township, and Chulot Township. These townships were particularly heavily affected. However, what stood out to me was the resilience of the people and also the speed of the rescue and resettlement efforts. So many survivors had already been relocated to safe tents and prefabricated houses, which

And those houses were very close to their original damaged houses. So government forces and volunteers were also working together to help the community recover from the shock. So that was one of the good stuff after the earthquake. And there were people that came from as far as Shanghai all the way to the west of China to bring their support to those affected by the earthquake.

What pulled people together? Why do you think people were willing to contribute in such a, let's say, a dangerous environment?

Well, many people are deeply moved by the sense of community and solidarity in the face of such a tragedy. So volunteers, as you said, from very far away, Shanghai, Beijing, or nearby province Sichuan have all, you know, being moved and connected, have this personal connection to the affected areas. They desire to help others like in need, and that desire is really strong. And

And volunteering in such a crisis has become a growing part of China's disaster relief culture, especially after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, when people from across the country mobilized quickly. And also, I think,

Over time, the government has established volunteer networks and disaster response systems that have also made it easier for citizens or nonprofit organizations to contribute in times of need.

But at the same time, with such a large amount of support and people coming to Dingru County, was it difficult for the local government or the, let's say, the coordination center to mobilize everybody and especially to prioritize the most needed work? I think it was really impressive for me to see that the government's rapid response were in place.

as soon as the earthquake took place. And I think it's mainly because of three key factors, the strong governance, a well-coordinated emergency response system, and also advanced infrastructure. So we know shortly after the earthquake, President Xi Jinping, he ordered an all-out rescue effort aimed at saving lives and minimizing injuries. And the government acted quickly. They prioritized search and rescue operations and

then focusing first on saving lives and then moving on to provide temporary shelters, tents, food, and facilitate relocation and resettlement.

A key reason, I think, for this fast response was the region's advanced infrastructure. I'll give you an example. So within just 10 minutes, rescue plans were already in the air. And less than half an hour later, rescue operations were underway in hardest hit areas. And within a few hours, damaged roads were repaired and mobile communications was restored.

allowing rescue teams to reach affected areas without delay. So those efforts could not be possible without those fundamental support. Another critical factor was the region's improved emergency preparedness.

So we know there were upgrades of roads, power lines, and telecommunication services. With these factors, the region was able to respond quickly and effectively. You know, helicopters were used to transport seriously injured individuals. A five-year-old girl, she was flown from Skaza to Lhasa in just over an hour for emergency medical treatment. That's what we call China speed.

After all, like because of this together, the coordination and the rapid response, the hardcore infrastructure, they were able to minimize, uh,

casualties, provide shelters, and begin the rebuilding process almost immediately. It's very impressive on how speedy the local government could respond to this disaster. And as you said, your first impression upon arriving in Dignity County was devastation after the earthquake. I learned that you stayed there for five days. Five days. And by the time you left Dignity County and finished your reporting there, how

How did you feel about the recovery progress by the time you left there? Yeah, by the time I left, significant progress had been made in search and rescue efforts. You know, the number shows that rescuers had saved over 400 people and around 47,500 individuals had been relocated to temporary tents or prefabricated houses.

However, I think the overall recovery was still in its early stages because many homes were destroyed and people were still preparing for a long-term rebuilding process.

I mean, it will take a while, anywhere from a couple of months to a year, because local government officials, they will need to visit each household to discuss residents' preferences on where they want to rebuild their homes, either at the original location or find a new spot. So it will take time. Well, at this moment, their recovery process is still ongoing in Dingyuan County, but

But do you think the local people will be able to spend a normal Chinese New Year as usual?

Well, you know, most people will likely spend the Lunar New Year, which is next week, and also the Tibetan New Year, which begins on January 28th and lasting for about two weeks, in temporary shelters and prefabricated houses. The government is making every effort possible to ensure that local residents have enough warmth, food, and

and other essential supplies for winter and also for the holiday. And more than that, psychological support is also being provided to help people cope with the challenges they face, especially giving attention to vulnerable groups like elderly children and women,

and so on and so forth. So I think, yes, they will. They will have enough materials, supplies to spend the holiday at the prefabricated homes and also the rebuilding of homes.

is expected to take several months, like six months to a year. So as I said, because they have to negotiate, they have to figure out where they want to rebuild it before everything settles down. In this time of celebration right before the festival, our heart goes with those that are affected by the earthquake, as well as my colleague Yao Wen, who showed up at the disaster scene just three days after the earthquake took place.

Thank you very much for speaking with us. Thank you so much for having me. Two weeks have passed since the devastating earthquake. The affected region has transitioned from emergency response to resettlement and reconstruction. As of January 18th, more than 9,000 transitional housing units have been completed, providing critical shelter for those displaced with the Chinese New Year approaching.

In addition to housing, health measures have also been prioritized. A flu vaccination campaign is underway, ensuring that seniors, children and rescue workers are protected during this critical period. And that brings us to the end of this episode of Deep Dive. If you enjoyed what you just heard, don't forget to follow us on your podcast platforms. Just search for Deep Dive.

You can also leave a comment to let us know what you want to learn about China and beyond. This episode is brought to you by me, Li Yunqi, and my colleagues Zhang Zhang and Qi Zhi. Special thanks to CGTN radio reporter Xu Yaowen. I'll see you in the next one.