Mass cremation took place of several hundred or 1000 bodies at Jyeku monastery. Officials stayed away and let monks handle the ritual.  (AP: China quake dead cremated, in break with tradition)

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Official death count rises again: 1,484 dead, 312 missing and 12,088 injured, as of 5 p.m. Saturday.(Xinhua: Death toll rises to 1,484 in China quake)

 

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Hu Jintao arrives in Yushu, 18^th April, to "direct relief work". "He first visited the village of Zhaxi Datong to inspect the situation and to console the quake's victims. Hu then paid a visit to those injured in the quake receiving treatment at the stadium in Yushu to check there were enough medical supplies and that epidemic prevention and control work was proceeding smoothly."  (Xinhua: President Hu Arrives in Quake-Hit Yushu to Direct Relief Effort)

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Snow forecast for Monday, temperatures could drop to minus 12 centigrade. The temperature difference between day and night in Yushu is huge, ranging from 22.9 to minus 12.8 degrees centigrade. (China Daily: Quake-Hit Yushu to Brace for Snow)

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Yushu Earthquake Response, a local NGO consortium team in Xining now says 

Their first 4 vehicle convoy with emergency supplies has arrived in Jyeku. A new distribution center is being set up out of town to avoid security and safety problems. They have a much clearer picture of what is required:

-          major water filtration equipment

-          water storage

-          communications equipment

-          plus basic human need stuff on a massive scale.

-          generators

-          solar stoves and solar power storage.

"We're sending in 4 motorbikes so our crew can get around on damaged roads and assess needs in outlying areas, plus transport people back to hospitals or relief centres - this is a very practical idea from the people on the ground" A second supply vehicle is on the way to Jyeku. The Xining group now has 20 people involved in purchasing and logistics, with 2 planning/reporting meetings each day, including a team of local students working with the accountant to track purchases, donations and receipts. YER now has a website for donations and news updates.

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Schools:  "The quake destroyed more than a third of the school buildings in Jiegu and rendered the rest dangerous, according to a statement on the Qinghai provincial government's news Web site. It said 684 students and teachers were wounded and another 73 were either buried in rubble or missing." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_china_earthquake

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Airport: 22 planes landed at the nearby airport (Batang) in the first four days, suggested very limited functionality.

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First Village Report:  In the first report from a rural area, Sichuan Quake Relief has sent a team with official permission to a village 75kms north west of Jyeku, where there are reports of severe damage and no aid. See *Specific Funding Request for Longbao town, Yushu (April 16):  "The town has a population of 8,700 (1,800 families). Initial reports indicate that the town was severely affected by the quake and there is a high death toll and many injuries. The survivors are in need of: Basic medical supplies (mostly bandages, antibiotics, painkillers etc), tents, blankets, a power generator, water, instant food. " http://sichuan-quake-relief.org/2010/04/specific-funding-request-for-longbao-town-yushu/

Plateau Perspectives had a second medical team arrive and noted:

• No electricity that isn't generator driven
• Military has been able to set up a "mobile hospital" with standard hospital equipment
• The military and the Health Department are still excited to have us help their Peoples relief efforts
• Serious need for water and food are still present.
• Front end loaders are still clearing the streets
• Survivors are still being rescued from the rubble.

(Relief Update as of 10:20pm, 4/17 Local Time  http://yushuearthquakerelief.com/  )

 

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Leadership statement: "China's central leadership urges all-out efforts to save lives in quake zone": China's leading body, the Standing Committee of the Politburo, declared "It is at a critical time for the relief work that requires "enhanced strength and efforts to search every village and household" to search for and save survivors and make sure that no blind spot is left in the quake zone".  Efforts should be stepped up to transfer and treat the injured timely and effectively, and authorities should assist and well settle quake-affected people, according to a statement released after the meeting.  The transportation of relief supplies should be strengthened to ensure the local people can get daily necessities, including food, clothes, clean water and shelters, as well as timely medical treatment, the statement said. (Xinhua: China's Central Leadership Urges All-Out Efforts to Save Lives in Quake Zone)

 

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 "Open information", foreign donations "managed": At the Standing Committee of the Politburo, "the leaders stressed that open information about the situation of the quake and the relief work should be released in a timely, accurate, comprehensive and objective manner. Efforts should be made to ensure social harmony and stability, the statement said. Donations, including those from foreign countries, should be managed and used properly."

 

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Monk-soldier relations: some "misunderstandings" took place, and a local lama had to mediate on a couple of occasions. A strong article appeared in the New York Times describing some tensions (NY Times: After Quake, Tibetans Distrust China's Help). Other journalists in Jyeku, writing privately, disagreed with the representation of significant tensions or of significant violence in the town.

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Websites: David Germano has set up a website for information at www.yushutibet.info. Columbia's website is at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/weai/tibetrelief.html .

 

Prof. Robbie Barnett is a senior research scholar, assistant professor, and director of Modern Tibetan Studies at Columbia University.