On the morning of 3 June a violent earthquake struck the Pu'er region of southwestern China. The quake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale and over 90 percent of all homes and buildings in the region were badly damaged or destroyed in an instant.

To date, 44,000 families have lost their homes and a further 58,000 will need to carry out major repairs before returning home. Amazingly with an earthquake of this magnitude, only three people were killed and a further 28 seriously injured.

The low casualty count is very fortunate and attributed to the quake striking in daylight hours. But the region is bracing for difficult times ahead. For a population whose annual average income is $80 dollars the economic loss will be devastating.

Since that first quake there have been over 30,000 recorded aftershocks, 30 of those scoring above 3 on the Richter scale. With so much seismic activity no one is taking any chances and most of the 190,000 local residents are choosing to sleep in tents despite heavy rainfall.

Our organisation was invited to assist in the relief operation by the Chinese government's development agency, The China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA). After taking an assessment walk around Ning'er city with a team from the CFPA, I could understand why so many people are taking the tent option.

Most of the buildings that "survived" the first quake look ominously unstable with huge cracks running through walls and windows smashed. The streets are strewn with rubble like a scene form a war zone and everyone is nervously waiting for the next strike.

Having heard very little in the international press on the earthquake I didn't really know what to expect on arriving in Ning'er and I had no idea that the level of destruction would be as high as it is. But I also didn't expect the government response to be as comprehensive as it is.

Of the 44,000 displaced families I haven't seen one without a tent. There are medical facilities offering free treatment and sufficient water and sanitation services have been provided. Construction teams have already moved in to start repairing the 5,685 km (3,530 miles) of roads that were damaged and the 109 schools that were destroyed. It's quite impressive.

I was told by a local volunteer that up until only last year the annual disaster death toll was a closely kept state secret. In the past any details concerning disasters and disaster relief were seen in an almost shameful light. Now the government is encouraging community teamwork and more international assistance.

Operation Blessing is working with the CFPA to distribute essential non-food items, clothing and high-nutrition, vitamin-rich feeding supplement for children. For families that lost everything this service is vital.

The government estimates that the damage totals around 2.9 billion yuan ($380 million), a mind boggling amount in an extremely poor region that is famous for its tea production. The CFPA is worried because after years of slow but steady economic growth, the earthquake has effectively reset the counter and one of China's poorest regions will need to start from scratch.

It's agonising to walk amongst the villages that surround Ning'er and see mud brick houses razed to the ground. Some villagers are still picking through the mud, looking for lost possessions.

This is a place where insurance doesn't exist and many people are still coming to terms with the fact that years of hard work and investment were wiped out in a matter of seconds.

Once the earth finally stops shaking, people will start rebuilding their homes. But where the bulk of the revenue for rebuilding will come from still isn't known and there is a long road ahead for the victims.

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