Power, communications restored in quake-hit areas of Xizang's Drachen county

Electricity and communications have been restored in some villages in the hardest-hit areas of Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake on Thursday, according to the Xizang Communications Administration.

State Grid Xizang Electric Power activated its emergency response and dispatched teams overnight to Gangche and Maru townships to inspect and secure power facilities.

Electricity has been restored across the area surrounding the Maru township government offices. Phone and internet services have also returned to normal in two villages in the township. Being close to the earthquake's epicenter, they were among the most affected areas.

According to the administration, the earthquake knocked 628 mobile base stations offline, accounting for 8.5 percent of the city's total. These stations have been restored as of 10:30 am Friday, bringing communications in the affected area back to pre-earthquake levels within 12 hours.

The administration said 131 emergency repair personnel and 50 vehicles had been deployed to restore communications, along with 38 generators and other emergency equipment. Telecommunications networks in the disaster area are now operating normally, supporting the coordination of rescue operations.

Earthquake authorities in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces have sent a dozen personnel to the affected area to assess the quake's intensity, verify damage, and conduct other emergency field operations.