China To Observe National Mourning For Yushu Quake Victims Tomorrow
China will mourn the 2,000 victims of last week's earthquake in western Qinghai province tomorrow by observing the day as a day of national mourning.
The government has issued orders calling for the halt of public entertainment and the national flag will fly at half-mast in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
The day of mourning was announced as the quake-hit Qinghai region was hit by hail and snow, slowing down the pace of relief efforts. Sources added that several aid lorries had overturned on the icy mountain road leading to the quake-hit villages.
Rescue workers are working round the clock looking for the survivors. Three people were rescued yesterday, but it is highly unlikely that more survivors will be found.
Meanwhile, Oxfam today warned that sanitation is deteriorating in Yushu's temporary camps and has asked the Chinese government to take measures to address the issue without any delay.
"People are looking pretty miserable. A lot of people are still living in the ruins of their homes and a lot still don't have tents. In the last few days there have been hundreds of trucks coming in, but getting supplies to people is a hurdle because some don't want to move into the town, which is pretty crowded now,” said David Yeats, an Australian helping relief efforts in the area.
