The official toll following the 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Qinghai province in north west China as at 10am local time 18 April is 1706 deaths and 12,128 people injured. Local authorities estimate that up to 90 percent of buildings collapsed.

*The Chinese Radio Sports Association* (*CRSA*) reports that amateur radio rescue teams from *An Hui*, *Qinghai*, *Beijing*, *Shandong*, *Jiangsu*, *Sichuan*provinces have joined the disaster mitigation efforts.

The rescue and recovery efforts following the quake that occurred on 14 April are difficult in the area which is a mountainous plateau more than 4,000 metres above sea level that experiences with very low overnight temperatures.

The amateur radio teams have set up *VHF* and *UHF* repeaters to provide quick support communications, *7050kHz* and *7060kHz* are their main *HF* QRGs, and sometimes *14270kHz* in 20 meter band has been used.

The *CRSA* is borrowing from its experiences gained in the Great Sichuan earthquake of two years ago. To a avoid traffic jam travelling to the earthquake centre area, the ham radio and other support teams are following the instructions set by the government.

While commercial communications recovered on 15 April in six counties of Yushu district, emergency amateur radio communications teams are continuing to assist the disaster mitigation.

The *CRSA* thanks those IARU member societies such *KARL*, *JARL*, *MARTS* and *HARTS* and others who have given their support by translating Qinghai earthquake reports for their local websites and for all in helping keep the emergency frequencies clear.

(Report provided by Fan Bin BA1RB, CRSA Coordinator IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Conmmittee and Chairman Jim Linton VK3PC)