[Today's Prayer] Second Day of Tibet Earthquake… Rescue Difficulties Due to Cold and Aftershocks

On the 8th, the second day after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Shigatse City in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, authorities deployed over 10,000 personnel to search for survivors and conduct on-site recovery operations. Over 400 people were rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings, but the rescue is facing difficulties due to the sub-zero cold. In addition, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred in Qinghai Province, which borders the Tibet Autonomous Region, in the afternoon of the same day, raising concerns about increased damage from the earthquake.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency on that day, over 14,600 firefighters, police officers, and soldiers were mobilized for rescue operations, and 407 people were rescued. Most of the damaged roads were restored to normal after the overnight recovery efforts. Train service through Dingle County, which suffered major damage, has also resumed, and communications and power in three townships near the epicenter have been restored.

As of 7 p.m. on the 7th, Chinese authorities have not released any casualties since announcing that there were 126 deaths and 188 injuries. However, there is analysis that there are many residents waiting to be rescued while trapped under the rubble of buildings, as over 3,000 houses collapsed due to the earthquake.

Rescue workers are battling the extreme cold and other conditions in the mountainous region, which has an average elevation of 4,400 meters.

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Altitude sickness caused by hypoxia in the cold is also hindering rescue efforts. According to the China Earthquake Networks (CENS), an earthquake observation agency, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred in Maduo County, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, at 3:44 p.m. on the 8th. In the Tibet Autonomous Region, more than 660 aftershocks have continued since the first earthquake the day before until noon today.

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Source: Nate News

And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, he will by no means lose his reward. (Matthew 10:42)

Though there is hard work being done to rescue survivors from the severe earthquake in Tibet, we hear the sad news that rescue efforts are being hampered by the aftershocks, the severe cold and the earthquake in Qinghai Province, which borders the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Please comfort the bereaved families in Tibet who have lost their homes and families, and guide those who are still waiting for rescue so that rescue can be done quickly.

God who created the earth and the sky, we believe that the temperature in Tibet and the shaking of the earth obey what you say.

Even at this moment, please have pity on the Tibetan souls who do not know Jesus Christ and prostrate themselves before the Dalai Lama, and may Tibet be free through the prayers and practical help of the global church and the Chinese church so that they can hear the gospel.

We believe that anyone who gives even a cup of cold water to one of the little ones will never lose their reward. Please send out those who will serve Tibet from the global church.

In this way, please bring about a quick recovery for Tibet and let the Tibetan people become those who prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ from the highest place to the nations and be a channel of life!