In Tibet, many roads are still closed, and helicopters have been deployed to transport victims out in the villages and towns worst hit by the earthquake on April 25. Local authorities say the number of flights will increase, as worsening weather may lead to even more landslides in days to come.

A Gyirong county in Tibet was almost destroyed by the earthquake.

“When it happened, my house toppled within the blink of an eye. We lost everything in a minute. Then the soldiers came to save us,” said a local people.

Some people in Gyirong county are still unaccounted for.

“Eight households are still trapped in my village, my home collapsed,” said a local resident.

Mountain water is the only source of drinking water in some border areas of Gyirong, making the sanitation situation severe. Frequent landslides can easily reverse all recovery efforts.

In the town of Zham, a task force arrived on the night of April 27. Frequent landslides forced the trapped ones to relocate inch by inch. Three-thousand people lack drinking water, food, and medicines.

“Ninety-five percent of houses are destroyed, and hospitals are no longer safe. Patients are transported here for treatment,” said Li Dong, commander in chief of rescue team for Zham town.

A dozen medical teams with 100 experts have been deployed to various quake-affected sites in Tibet. Efforts to remove road blocks, and the search for survivors have been non-stop throughout April 28.

Telecommunications in the worst hit areas have been partially restored. Snow and rain are forecast in the coming days, posing uncertainties for the road-clearing efforts.