Dingri county in Xizang shows renewed landscape one year after earthquake

Photo taken on Dec. 11, 2025 shows the rebuilt Zingkar village in Chamco township, Dingri county, southwest China's Xizang autonomous region. (People's Daily Online/Weng Qiyu)

In Chajiang village, Chamco township, Dingri county, southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, 14-year-old Sonam Dorje now lives in a newly constructed traditional two-toned dwelling. a newly built red-and-white Tibetan-style house is home to Sonam Dorje. Despite sub-zero temperatures outside dipping to minus 20 degrees Celsius, warmth fills the home, accompanied by the comforting aroma of freshly brewed butter tea.

Sonam Dorje, who suffered leg fractures when trapped beneath rubble during the devastating Dingri earthquake a year ago, now moves freely around his new house. The memory of being rescued remains vivid. "I want to become a firefighter to help others when I grow up," he declared.

Following the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck Dingri on Jan. 7, 2025, Xizang has undertaken a massive reconstruction effort. Over the past year, more than 22,000 homes have been rebuilt, covering an area of 3.1 million square meters, while another 10,500 homes have undergone repair and structural reinforcement.

Newly paved roads connect clusters of rebuilt homes, children play on football fields, and villages like Zingkar in Chamco now boast complete supporting facilities.

Students play football at a middle school in Dingri county, southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, Dec. 12, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Weng Qiyu)

"It was friends from Shanghai who helped us build our new homes," said villager Norbu. During the reconstruction, he forged deep friendships with construction workers, lending a hand on site and even volunteering as an interpreter between the construction teams and local residents.

Zingkar was among the hardest hit in the Dingri earthquake, and its reconstruction was assisted by Shanghai. "Our focus extended beyond seismic safety," said Zhuang Yinong, engineering director of the general contracting department of Shanghai Construction Group. "We aimed to create a green, livable, modern village."

The rebuilding effort exemplified nationwide solidarity. Central government departments like the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development provided guidance and support. Over 1,000 professionals from institutions including Tongji University contributed to design. Nationally, 134 enterprises, more than 2,600 management staff, and over 61,000 workers labored around the clock, completing tasks across 1,032 sites in 47 townships.

Reconstruction proceeded hand-in-hand with restoring livelihoods and revitalizing industry.

Pasang Dondrup (right), 8, plays with friends in Zingkar village, Chamco township, Dingri county, southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, Dec. 14, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Weng Qiyu)

In Tongra village, Dinggye county, Shigatse, a cooperative feed plant hums with activity during winter, processing and baling forage. Confident invested as shareholders. By the end of 2025, the cooperative achieved sales exceeding 650,000 yuan ($93,073), boosting incomes for dozens of households.

Shigatse has prioritized upgrading animal feed production in affected counties, strengthening local capacity for self-sustained development as industries thrive and livelihoods stabilize.

At the same time, Shigatse has vigorously promoted work-relief programs, employment assistance, and skills training. Residents in disaster-hit areas were widely mobilized to take part in debris removal, repairs, and reinforcement work. This has benefited 110,500 people and generated a total income of 1.16 billion yuan, significantly enhancing the sense of fulfillment among affected communities.

"We have always treated post-disaster reconstruction as a major political task and a critical project to improve people's livelihoods," said Wang Junzheng, secretary of the Communist Party of China Xizang Autonomous Regional Committee. "We achieved the goal of rebuilding and moving residents into new homes within the same year."