RELIEF UPDATE

Relief Updates as of 12:38am local time on 4/20



Team 3 arrived in the Yushu area at approximately 10:30 PM on Sunday. They spent the night on the outskirts of town about a mile from our medical camp, then rendezvoused with the larger team early this morning. In addition to the supplies that they brought, another truck carrying medicines for our group also delivered six boxes this morning. There are many children coming through the camp with their parents, and often several just milling about, so some toys and distractions for the kids were also among the packages sent.

While the medical team in Yushu continued to see patients throughout the day, our team in Xining was purchasing 7 to 10 days worth of medications, medical supplies, food, and water for the camp. These were loaded onto a truck along with two high-capacity water purification systems, two generators, and three large medical tents. Team 4 (consisting of two water experts, two drivers, and one cook for the camp) departed with the supplies in the late afternoon and should arrive in Yushu tomorrow mid-day.

Relief Update

Relief Updates as of 10:20pm local time on 4/18


We were able to get our third team on the road to Yushu this morning at 7:15am.  Among the team were two doctors, three nurses, two logistics personnel, and two Yushu-born translators.  The team should be arriving this evening around 10pm local time.

Reports from teams already in Yushu indicate that the death toll will certainly continue to rise.  Today overall our medical teams treated less acute wounds while seeing an increase in more general illnesses.  The team was able to treat close to 140 patients with varying symptoms including stomach illness, dehydration, and high blood pressure.  A few patients were delivered to the airport for medical evacuation.

Our team members all reported stand-still traffic throughout Yushu due to increased rescue efforts and increased media coverage as well as a visit from the Chinese President, Hu Jintao.  One team member let us know that the streets were lined with semi trucks filled with relief supplies, front end loaders, as well as a few industrial cranes which all added to the significant delays- but will undoubtedly aid the overall effort.  Our team en route to Yushu saw very few cars leaving the city and heading for the provincial capital of Xining due to the significant delays in Yushu.

In Xining, our staff continued organizing logistics for teams that will be heading out around the middle of this week. We plan to send a large truck down tomorrow to deliver much needed supplies such as mass water purification solutions, tents, medicine, food, and power generators. Our next team to depart will likely consist of additional doctors and nurses from throughout China.

Plateau Perspectives and Yushu Earthquake Relief continue to find favor with the regional government, the Yushu government, and the Health Bureau in order to continue in the relief efforts.  The Health Bureau generously provided us with another medical tent which increased our ability to treat patients. We continue to be thankful for the privilege to help relief efforts in Yushu.

Relief Update

Relief Updates as of 10:20pm local time on 4/18


We were able to get our third team on the road to Yushu this morning at 7:15am. Among the team were two doctors, three nurses, two logistics personnel, and two Yushu-born translators. The team should be arriving this evening around 10pm local time.

Reports from teams already in Yushu indicate that the death toll will certainly continue to rise. Today overall our medical teams treated less acute wounds while seeing an increase in more general illnesses. The team was able to treat close to 140 patients with varying symptoms including stomach illness, dehydration, and high blood pressure. A few patients were delivered to the airport for medical evacuation.

Our team members all reported stand-still traffic throughout Yushu due to increased rescue efforts and increased media coverage as well as a visit from the Chinese President, Hu Jintao. One team member let us know that the streets were lined with semi trucks filled with relief supplies, front end loaders, as well as a few industrial cranes which all added to the significant delays- but will undoubtedly aid the overall effort. Our team en route to Yushu saw very few cars leaving the city and heading for the provincial capital of Xining due to the significant delays in Yushu.

In Xining, our staff continued organizing logistics for teams that will be heading out around the middle of this week. We plan to send a large truck down tomorrow to deliver much needed supplies such as mass water purification solutions, tents, medicine, food, and power generators. Our next team to depart will likely consist of additional doctors and nurses from throughout China.

Plateau Perspectives and Yushu Earthquake Relief continue to find favor with the regional government, the Yushu government, and the Health Bureau in order to continue in the relief efforts. The Health Bureau generously provided us with another medical tent which increased our ability to treat patients. We continue to be thankful for the privilege to help relief efforts in Yushu.

RELIEF UPDATE

Relief Update as of 10:20pm, 4/17 Local Time


We were excited to get two more of our teams down to Yushu today.  Our convoy arrived around 6 am this morning and was able to immediately jump into action assessing further needs as well as turn our vehicles in to makeshift ambulances.  It was a great step in order to be able to bring the injuried to areas where they could receive help.

Teams from the field report helping over 200 injured over the course of the day.  Our teams were also able to go out and bring in those who were more seriously injured to medical checkpoints.  We have another two teams heading down tomorrow at 7am with Kham Tibetan translators from Yushu as well as more medical personnel.

In general we were able to observe the following while on the field

  • No electricity that isn’t generator driven
  • Military has been able to set up a “mobile hospital” with standard hospital equipment
  • The military and the Health Department are still excited to have us help their Peoples relief efforts
  • Serious need for water and food are still present.
  • Front end loaders are still clearing the streets
  • Survivors are still being rescued from the rubble.

RELIEF UPDATE




Around 6:00 a.m. our convoy of two teams pulled into Yushu.  Immediately jumping into action, they assessed the current needs and transformed their vehicles into makeshift ambulances used to transport the injured into areas where they could receive aid.
Over the course of the day, these two teams were able to treat more than 200 people and transfer the more seriously injured to medical checkpoints.  Tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. we will send another two teams of medical personnel from Xining into the earthquake zone, along with much needed local Kham Tibetan translators.

In general, we were able to observe the following while on the field:

  • Aside from generators, no electricity is available.
  • The military has been able to set up a “mobile hospital” with standard hospital equipment.
  • The military and Heath Department are still eager to have our teams help their Peoples relief efforts.
  • There is a serious need for food and clean water.
  • Front end loaders are still clearing the streets of debris.
  • Survivors are still being rescued from the rubble.

(BBC)China rescue effort builds after Qinghai earthquake

BBC Reports of Yushu Quakes


Soldiers, civilians and Tibetan monks combed through rubble in Qinghai province, two days after a powerful earthquake hit the remote region.

Heavy equipment and aid are now arriving in Yushu county, where 791 people are known to have died, with another 294 missing.

Local people say they believe the number of dead is much higher.

Visiting the area, Premier Wen Jiabao promised “all-out efforts” would be made to rebuild the devastated region.

With an estimated 15,000 houses destroyed in Yushu, thousands of homeless people and casualties have been waiting for help.

The BBC’s Damian Grammaticas, who has reached the worst-hit town of Jiegu, said the first thing he saw was a line of toppled pagodas, shops and other buildings.

He said many townspeople were fearful of going back even where their homes had survived. Others were leaving town, with whatever they could carry.

Heavy-lifting equipment has been brought in by road from hundreds of kilometres away and food, tents and medical supplies are arriving too.

One doctor said he had lost track of how many people they had treated.

“They just keep coming one after the other,” said Myima Jiaba, working at a makeshift hospital in Jiegu.

“Right now, what we need is a lot of medicine. We need antiseptics and antibiotics. And overall, we need more tents and food, and sanitation.”

READ MORE AT BBC NEWS

*please note that Plateau Perspectives and Yushu Earthquakre Relief are not affilliated with the BBC News

Relief Update 4/17 1:20am local time

Initial Teams work a full day. 2 More teams arriving tomorrow


Today we are happy to report that over 15 workers were sent into the area as of 5pm local time this evening.  We sent off another group of 15 this evening which will be arriving mid morning Saturday, April 17th local time.  All in all we have been able to send many highly trained health professionals into the regions as well as skilled surgeons.  We are happy to report that their are 6 logistics coordinators in the area as well.  Logistics coordinators help drive the doctors into the areas so that they are fresh once they arrive.  These coordinators also manage getting base of operations set up, keeping them running, and transporting patients and medical supplies to our bases of operation.

Teams will be arriving early tomorrow morning as well as later in the afternoon.

For a more detailed report, please click here

Relief Update

Relief update as of 1am, 4/17 local time


click on the link above for a large panoramic view of Jiegu in January of 2010 before the quake.

As of 5:00 p.m. local time, more than 15 of our workers have arrived in Yushu. Another group of 15 was sent this evening, and they should arrive mid-morning Saturday, April 17th.  These groups consist of highly trained health professionals and skilled surgeons, along with six logistics coordinators.  Logistics coordinators are responsible for driving the doctors into the area so that they are rested and ready for action upon arrival.  They also set up and manage the base of operations, keep them running fluidly, and transport patients and medical supplies to and from our bases of operation.

News from the field today was very positive.  Teams traveling to Yushu have reported seeing massive amounts of government aid pouring into the area.  We’ve heard that our initial team was able to administer medical care to large amounts of seriously and moderately injured people, and also assist and transport the injured to the medical base of operations.  Tomorrow our team will focus on moving seriously injured and immobile patients to different medical bases.

The Health Department seems very happy to have our teams in the area and we feel privileged to work with the local government in order to provide relief to its people

Jiegu

Footage of Jiegu literally minutes after the earthquake


Jiegu from mr name on Vimeo.

PP team arrives safely

Approximately 4:19am PP initial team arrives safely


PP and Yushu Earthquake Relief is happy to report that an initial team of non-governmental workers, doctors, and a surgeon have arrived in Jiegu/Yushu in conjunction with the Yushu prefecture government.  Over the next few days this team will be assessing needs on the ground and communicating back to personnel in the provincial capital of Xining.

Plateau Perspectives will also be sending one more team of doctors to the earthquake zone early tomorrow with the assistance and allowance of the Yushu and Qinghai government.

Yushu Earthquake Relief