Earthquake in Barkham Sparks Information Clampdown

By Tenzin Samten / June 21, 2022;

Photo: RFA

Chinese media has reported a series of more than ten earthquakes the city of Barkham in Ngaba Prefecture in Amdo measuring up to 6-magnitude. They have reported that over 25,000 people have been evacuated, with four injured, and that a level-IV national emergency response had been activated. Local sources, however, have reported to the exile Tibetan media that the response by the Chinese authorities was slow and rescuers reached the region only three days after the initial earthquake. They report that the authorities have also imposed a strict clampdown on the sharing or posting of information in the region, instructing residents not to share videos, photos and other information of the incident online but to report injuries and deaths to the government only.

Photo: RFA

Radio Free Aisa’s Tibetan service was informed through their local sources that most of the houses in the affected region have been destroyed, and that many have sustained extensive damages. “The number of fatalities and injured are unknown at the moment. However, the government has strictly instructed us not to share any pictures, videos and other information of the calamity on social media,” said RFA’s source, speaking on condition of anonymity – all local sources remain anonymous for their own protection as people sending reports to contacts outside Tibet risk detention and imprisonment.

Monks helping the residents with food supplies
Photo : RFA

Following the displacement of the 25,000 residents of Barkham and in the face of the slow response from the authorities, Tibetans living in neighbouring regions offered immediate help providing food, clothing and temporary tent shelters to monks and other residents whose homes were destroyed, said RFA in their report of June 15. Once the official Chinese rescue team arrived at the site, Tibetans who had come from nearby areas to help were asked to leave the area. “However, the timely assistance they provided to survivors was a huge help,” said the local source.

The Chinese government routinely imposes surveillance on online activities of residents caught up in an accident or natural disaster in Tibet, making it difficult for the outside world to ascertain the facts.