It is hard to believe that it has been 2 years since our family survived the Yushu Prefecture Earthquake. On April 14, 2010 a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck just west of the Yushu Prefecture capital town of Jyekundo. Though the official Beijing death toll is listed at 2698, all local government officials claim that the real death toll is over 20,000. Being in one of the most remote and most sensitive political regions of China, it is no surprise that the highest levels of government have downplayed the severity of the earthquake. The Yushu Earthquake received almost no international media coverage as foreign journalists were not legally allowed to go to the area (1 CNN reporter made the 15 hour drive there only to be escorted out of the area less than an hour after arriving). The Yushu Earthquake remains, for the most part, an unknown tragedy. Last year on the 1 year anniversary of the earthquake, I could not find 1 major news source doing a story on Yushu. I doubt there will be any coverage on Yushu on this years anniversary either.
Survivors in the days after the earthquake
Nearly all of the poorly constructed buildings in and around the earthquake epicenter were made of mud-brick and wood. There were some 4 or 5 story brick apartment buildings in Jyekundo, but for the most part Tibetans live in mud-brick homes with their extended family. Nearly all of these mud-brick homes collapsed. Most of the casualties came from these homes collapsing on people, many of whom were still asleep when the earthquake hit. The first 6 months after the earthquake, the government brought in tens of thousands of workers to basically take down all buildings that were still standing and level the entire town. All except for a handful of government buildings were bulldozed. By late 2010, the town of Jyekundo was literally gone. It was just a flat area with high mountains rising all around. Everyone was living in blue, government issued tents and all businesses (including banks, hospital clinics, pharmacies, meat markets, etc) were operating out of tents. The plan was to get rid of all the debris from the earthquake and start building a completely new town.
Some victims of the quake in downtown Jyekundo
After the worst part of winter was over, construction began in April 2011. Since then, the government has been working hard to rebuild a new modern Jyekundo. On the outskirts of town and in some of the remote villages 2 to 6 hours outside of town, the government has finished building homes for the survivors. Each family in the earthquake zone will be given an 860 square foot (80 square meter) home for free. If they want, the family can add some of their own money in building a larger home. Though construction is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2013, few people believe the town will be finished by then. There are still tens of thousands of survivors living in government aid tents on the outskirts of Jyekundo.
This is what most of the mud-brick homes were reduced to after the earthquake
Though our family will be based in the US for 2012, I (Jamin) will be making a short trip back to Yushu Prefecture in August. We are partnering with our home church in Olympia in helping to fund a project in Jyekundo that is feeding 100 orphans of the earthquake 3 meals a day. I will also access the rebuilding of Yushu to see when we can return to this area.
Thank you to all of you who prayed for us during the day of the earthquake and the days that followed. It is truly a miracle that we escaped without harm. We will keep you posted on the rebuilding of Yushu as we learn more.
Blessings
Survivors sitting in rubble after the earthquake
New homes being built in the earthquake zone