Almost 700 teenagers from Ning'er county started their all-important national college entrance exam just like teenagers in other parts of the Chinese mainland -- the only difference was the 80 tents lined up beside their exam building.

On Sunday a powerful earthquake, the most serious in Yunnan since 2001, ripped through the region, destroying houses and leaving 186,000 homeless. Three people died in the quake and nearly 300 were injured. With the region registering 1,422 aftershocks since Sunday, the tents are backup exam venues.

Exam proctors this year have learned new measures to handle emergencies, including first-aid and evacuation procedures.

Inside the tent, wooden boards are propped up on bricks to make beds, with neatly folded quilts on top. Some of the girls have picked white gardenias and put them in a bottle, adding a fragrant scent.

Editor: Wing