On 14 April 2010, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Qinghai Province in northwest China. The most severely affected was Yushu County which has since experienced many aftershocks including one of a 6.3- magnitude.
By 30 May 2010, a total of 2,698 people were confirmed dead, with 270 people missing and 12,135 injured (1,434 severely injured). More than 150,000 civilian houses collapsed. Yushu County is located in the remote Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in the rugged terrain of the Tibetan highlands. The county's population of approximately 100,000 people is spread out over a vast area, with a concentration of people around Gyêgu town.
While significant resources have been mobilized by the government, the Chinese Red Cross, and other local organizations, there are gaps in the assistance to communities in the more remote townships and villages, and in terms of special requirements for vulnerable groups.