Schools reopen in quake-hit Gansu counties
( 2003-10-30 09:12) (Xinhua)
Most schools in quake-hit areas of northwest
China's Gansu Province resumed operation Wednesday.
Two quakes, measuring 6.1 and 5.8 on the Richter scale, jolted areas between
Minle and Shandan counties of Zhangye City on Saturday night. As a result, most
schools of the two counties closed Monday as school buildings were greatly
damaged in the strong tremors.
"Except for 30 schools which were seriously damaged, the rest of the schools
in Minle have reopened, accounting for 80 percent of the total," said Wang
Xueshun, deputy director of Minle's cultural, educational and sports bureau.
"But some students were having class in tents and classrooms without being
affected by the quake and some had to have class in the open air," said Wang.
In Shandan County, 25 primary and middle schools reopened Wednesday but
students of another 26 schools had to continue staying at home.
"Even the reopened schools are facing great challenges as winter approaches,"
said Li Jicheng, deputy director of Shandan's cultural, educational and sports
bureau.
The governments of the two counties tried to solve the problems by setting up
more tents and transferring the students whose schools could not resume
operation in a short time to the reopened schools.
All the schools of Minle and Shandan are expected to resume operation before
Nov. 7, according to local officials.
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