Earthquake Jolts Southwestern Tibet, 9 DiesTuesday, 7 October 2008, 9:24 a.m.

A woman with her child walks past collapsed buildings in  Gedar Township of Damshung County near Lhasa, Tibet, on 6 October 2008./Xinhua

The epicenter was at 29.8 degrees north and 90.3 degrees east.The deputy chairman of the autonomous regional government and head of the rescue command said at least 147 houses in Yangyi and villages in a neighboring county collapsed. Rescuers recovered nine bodies from the debris, and 11 people were seriously injured while eight others received light injuries.The government has launched an emergency response scheme across the region soon after the quake broke out. The local government has sent a working team to guide relief operation in the quake-hit areas, Xinhua reported.More than 600 soldiers, police officers, firefighters, traffic, medical and geological experts were rushing to the quake zone, the reported said.Food, drinking water, tents and other materials had been transported to the area. Rescue operation was underway. The injured were being sent to local hospitals. The report said, tremors were felt in Lhasa, but no major damages were found in buildings or historical sites there, including the famed Potala Palace and the Jokhang temple.