Xizang hard at work for post-earthquake reconstruction efforts

Following January's 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri county of the Xizang autonomous region, over 21,400 households in 681 villages are in need of reconstruction, with 47 villages requiring complete rebuilding, according to an assessment by the regional department of housing and urban-rural development, Xizang Daily reported.

The department has formed a post-disaster recovery and reconstruction planning and design guidance working group stationed in Shigatse to facilitate the reconstruction efforts. This group collaborates closely with the front-line command headquarters to oversee the reconstruction work.

The department has deployed nearly 1,000 professionals from seven survey and design units around the country, including the Design Institute of Tongji University and the China Southwest Geotechnical Investigation & Design Institute, to expedite site selection, planning and design work.

These experts are also tasked with finalizing the comprehensive post-disaster recovery and reconstruction plan.

Shigatse's housing and urban-rural development bureau ensures that the construction of residential buildings adheres to standards, with sizes ranging from a minimum of 80 square meters to a maximum of 260 square meters. For reconstruction on the original sites, agricultural production facilities are preserved around the residential areas, respecting the village's original land area.

Furthermore, relevant industry departments are coordinating infrastructure projects such as transportation, water conservancy, communications and power grid construction to support the reconstruction efforts.