Rescue and relief efforts in full force in Xizang

Rescue and relief efforts are underway to assist those affected by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the Dingri county of Xizang autonomous region on Tuesday morning.

According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co Ltd, following the earthquake, a train on the Lhasa-Shigatse section of the railway, the C885, has been halted.

According to the company, the epicenter of the earthquake is about 158 kilometers from the West Shigatse Railway Station of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway.

After the earthquake, the company quickly initiated an emergency response, unified deployment, organized in an orderly manner, and immediately blocked the railway line from Karu to Shigatse, halting the C885 train at the Jieqiong Station.

At the same time, the departments of infrastructure, signal, power supply, construction and others organized a comprehensive inspection of the railway tracks, bridges, tunnels, culverts, signals, power supply, buildings and other equipment in the relevant sections.

Due to the earthquake, the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway suspended the operation of the C886 passenger train from Shigatse to Lhasa on Tuesday. To meet the travel needs of passengers, an additional C924 passenger train from Shigatse to Lhasa was put into operation not long after.

Meanwhile, the road maintenance department of the Dingri county immediately dispatched all personnel to inspect potential hazards after the earthquake, according to People's Daily.

The region's road system promptly conducted self-inspection actions, with no casualties reported in its nine maintenance sections under the Shigatse highway industry and emergency support center.

There were minor cracks in houses in the Gyalze and Lhaze sections. Currently, all maintenance sections under the Shigatse highway industry and emergency support center have dispatched all personnel to conduct post-earthquake inspections on roads and important structures.