Officers, doctors rush to save stricken village

People’s Armed Police Force officers and doctors have told how they raced against time to carry out rescues and provide medical treatment in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu province.

In the early hours of Tuesday, after the epicenter of the earthquake struck Jishishan county, PAPF Gansu Corps initiated emergency response measures.

A total of 333 officers rushed to hard-hit villages in Liuji township to start emergency rescue operations.

Officers from the Linxia detachment of the PAPF Gansu Corps were the first rescuers from the force to arrive at the disaster site. The detachment sent over 200 officers to search for and rescue trapped people, repair roads, transport supplies and erect tents.

Tashi Tseten, 26, a native of Qinghai province, was one of the first officers to arrive at Yangwa village in Liuji, at around 3 am.

Due to road blocks caused by fallen rocks and mud, rescue and other vehicles couldn’t reach the affected village. Tashi Tseten and his comrades, equipped with tools and emergency lights, hiked several kilometers to reach the village as the outdoor temperature reached-10 C.

As they approached the village, officers saw people waiting for rescue by the roadside, some of whom were injured. Most of the villagers had hastily evacuated their homes and were clad in light clothing. The soldiers quickly took off their own coats and wrapped them around the injured people.

After assessing the injured, Tashi Tseten immediately picked up a child with a leg injury and carried the youngster to a safe area 1 kilometer away.

He then returned, and along with his comrades took an elderly person with a severe abdominal injury to an ambulance for further medical care.

Recalling the scene when he arrived at the village, Tashi Tseten said the buildings were in a precarious state with bricks and tiles falling from walls and roofs.

“When I saw the injured, I felt a sense of urgency. Without thinking much, my primary focus was to quickly carry the injured to a safe area, ensuring they received timely medical treatment. We also needed to prioritize their safety during the transportation, avoiding secondary injuries,” he explained.

On that night, Tashi Tseten also participated in the rescue of seven trapped people. According to the PAPF Gansu Corps, as of 7:30 am Tuesday, they had successfully rescued and relocated 45 trapped people and recovered eight bodies.

It is Tashi Tseten’s fifth year of service and he said he had not experienced an earthquake before. “In times when the people need us, as an armed police officer, I should step forward to shoulder my responsibility,” he said.

His unit is primarily tasked with setting up tents and transporting supplies. He and his comrades have erected over 100 tents.

Six doctors accompanied the detachment to provide medical assistance, including 35-year-old Wang Xiaoling. On Wednesday, she examined residents in Yangwa village.

Zhou Ase, 35, a Yangwei villager, had undergone gynecological surgery just eight days before the earthquake. Her abdominal wound had not yet healed, and her doctor had advised her to rest at home. However, when the earthquake struck, her husband hurriedly pulled her from bed, causing a tear in the stitches.

Wang located Zhou in a tent and after consulting with a gynecology specialist via a telephone conference, recommended that Zhou undergo further examination at a nearby hospital. However, Zhou expressed her desire to rest for a while, considering the recent earthquake.

Respecting the villager’s wishes, Wang provided treatment and recovery advice, prescribing medications for related symptoms. (China Daily)