Resilience of survivors touches hearts

After reporting for five days from earthquake-hit Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, I arrived in Yangon, the capital, on Saturday night, when the news of a rainstorm hitting Mandalay popped up on my phone.

At the same time, I received a video message from the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team, the members of which are still at the forefront of post-disaster relief efforts in Mandalay. The video clip showed heavy rainfall and strong winds bringing down tents and a Chinese rescue worker shouting, "Evacuate immediately, do not try to secure the tents!"

Tons of relief materials freshly transported from China were stacked under these tents. Brave volunteers were trying to save the supplies, disregarding their own safety in the storm. For them, it was duty — a continuation of their work there.

Since the magnitude 7.9 earthquake rocked Myanmar on March 28, hundreds of rescue team members and volunteers from China have rushed to Mandalay to assist in rescue and relief operations.

On Friday, the Chinese teams completed the first phase of intense rescue efforts and shifted their focus to post-disaster relief work, including distributing relief supplies and setting up resettlement areas for survivors.

With the support of the local government, rows of tents were swiftly erected by the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team. At the same time, waste management efforts and the construction of temporary toilets, roads and fire exits were underway, all of which embodied what is popularly called "China speed".

As the scorching 40 C heat in Mandalay sapped energy on Friday, Sun Huamao, head of the tent construction team, said: "It's too hot. The team has been conducting search and rescue operations for several days. Everyone is exhausted."

However, they can't take a break. Not yet. As aftershocks and storms still threaten quake survivors sleeping on the streets, the resettlement areas must be ready without delay. To facilitate the work of the Chinese teams, many local residents are providing vehicles and provisional accommodations.

Zhu Hongzhan, a local jade merchant and member of the Myanmar Yunnan (China) Chamber of Commerce in Mandalay, was among those who volunteered to work with the Chinese Red Cross International Emergency Response Team. Over the past week, many of his co-workers from the chamber of commerce, who are all descendants of Chinese immigrants, have provided the first landing point and transit station for the rescue teams from China.

Zhu's 92-year-old mother told me: "I've experienced a lot in my life — wars, floods, coups, fires, earthquakes. The disasters may ruin everything we have, but we must always have the courage to keep on living."

The old woman is one of the locals I believe I will remember for a long time. The other is a 7-year-old girl, with whom my colleague, photographer Wei Xiaohao, spent some time playing soccer.

After one of their games, the little girl told me, "It's a happy day." When I asked her why, she replied, "Playing ball with Chinese people." I asked, "Are you friends (with Wei) now?" She said, "Yes."

When Wei told the girl we were leaving on Saturday, she didn't say a word, but hugged us tightly.

I hope all these people will continue to live on with courage and be safe.

Xu Nuo in Beijing contributed to this story.