The Panchen Lama also described the uniqueness of the famine that Tibet suffered from: "There was never such an event in the history of Tibet. People could not even imagine such horrible starvation in their dreams. In some areas if one person catches a cold, then it spreads to hundreds and large numbers simply die."
The Panchen Lama also highlighted the distinctiveness of the famine that Tibet endured: "There has never been an occurrence in Tibet's history as dire as this. People could not even envision such extreme malnutrition in their most unsettling nightmares. In certain regions, if one person contracts a cold, it can spread to hundreds, and large numbers ultimately succumb."