Earthquake in Yushu

See the last section for ways you can donate to help with the relief work

A nice Tibetan song dedicated to the earthquake victims


Google has added some useful tools to support earthquake disaster relief in Yushu. And for regular real time updates (even better than tweeter), check this link. Here are some informative satellite images from google. Click to make images bigger.

GeoEye GE-1 high resolution satellite imagery of Yushu after the earthquake


USGS Shake Map showing different colors for different intensity levels of tremor


Surface acceleration


Damage intensity




Click on this link to see Kyegu Monastery relief work album. Lots of pictures.

Xinhua reports China is carrying out a geological reconnaissance for the rebuilding of the quake-hit township of Jyekundo, to be turned into "a plateau ecological tourist city."

Tibetan language map the region



Websites specifically dedicated to providing information on the ongoing situation and relief work:

Special website of local consortium of NGO's, now active in
Jiegu, Xining and Chengdu.

Plateau Perspectives is one the best sources of updates on the situation on the ground. See this special website.

University of Virginia also has a special website.



This photo of a girl reading her book in front of earthquake ruins is really something. Photo from pourmecoffee.com.



Al Jazeera report on cremations for the dead:



Here are three Google Earth images (Thanks Nima-la!) of the damaged dam near Thrangu (???????????? or "Changu" in Chinese media) monastery. The first two images show the town of Yushu (??????? / ?????????) or Jyekundo (????????????) at an altitude of 3,685m and the dam located South, upstream at an altitude of 3,800m. The second is a close image of the dam. This report from The Independent says that "Emergency officials said the dam could burst at any time, putting 100,000 people in danger". This dam is like a time bomb that might cause another tragedy. I urge governments, groups and citizens of China to urge China to use its resources to gradually empty the reservoir, secure the dam and take people living downstream away to safer areas.








The following images are from a Chinese language blog.







For more images from the same source (warning: disturbing images of dead victims), click here

lhatseri tweets: "Tibetan language blogs sites from PRC have been blocked. No posts about the earthquakes."

Death toll rises to 589, according to China Daily

A "Letter from China" in the New Yorker talks about China's news censorship about the earthquake

The International Rivers has raised timely concerns about dam safety and questioned the sensibility of proposed dam projects in the region.

A set of still images from the Telegraph also shows aid work going to the region.

This New York Times video shows a different set of clips.

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated Tibetan netizen reactions to the earthquake. More here.

Chinese language CCTV report


Two English language news reports available on youtube:





For more information, see these stories from Xinhua and BBC. For technical information about the tremors, see this US Geological Survey site.


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SUPPORT RELIEF WORK BY DONATING TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK IN THE REGION

1. Donate to Tibetan Village Project's earthquake relief fund by clicking here

2. Another NGO working locally is Machik. You can donate to Machik's earthquake relief fund by clicking here

3. Tibet Foundation