Death toll rises to 156 in Urumqi riot

The situation has been brought under control. But many local ethnic Uygur and Han residents still have a lingering fear.

Vehicles set on fire and destroyed in Sunday night's riot are seen on Beiwan Street in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, July 6, 2009.(Xinhua/Shen Qiao)

A Urumqi resident said, "The scene was tragic and very, very cruel."

This cigarette and liquor store was looted and burnt, but fortunately, the owner escaped.

A Urumqi shop owner said, "It was about half past nine. At first I thought they would leave after smashing our store. While they were tearing things apart, my sister-in-law and I hid under the bed. They took all the cigarettes and other things. They set a fire and the sheets were burning above us. It last for three hours. We didn't think we'd survive."

So far, all the injured have been sent to the emergency center of a local hospital. Some have regained consciousness. Family members have arrived.

Jing Haitao, emergency center of Xinjiang Regional People's Hospital, said, "All of them who were wounded by knives, sticks and stones are suffering trauma. "

There are so many patients that beds have been set up in the corridors.

Jing Haitao said, "All the doctors and nurses in our hospital are mobilized. They all come voluntarily. We've made a emergency treatment plan and established a green channel. We check each patient's condition and sent them to the proper area for treatment."

A Urumqi resident said, "I was hit on my way back from work. My eye, when I look at things, they are swirling."

A Urumqi resident said,"We definitely hate those outlaws. So many innocent people are being hurt for doing nothing but walking on the streets.

The chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, Nur Bekri, made a televised speech on Monday morning.

Nur Bekri said, "The riot acts of beating, smashing, looting and burning was masterminded abroad and carried out domestically."