BEIJING – At least 118 individuals lost their lives in northwest China as buildings collapsed due to an earthquake, reported state media on Tuesday.
Rescue efforts are in full swing as workers race to sift through the rubble in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Gansu province bore the brunt of the disaster, with 105 reported fatalities and numerous injuries resulting from the strong and shallow tremor, as confirmed by the provincial earthquake relief headquarters cited by state broadcaster CCTV. Additionally, the city of Haidong in the neighboring Qinghai province witnessed 11 fatalities and 100 injuries, according to CCTV.
The seismic event, measuring a magnitude of 5.9 according to the US Geological Survey, struck near the border of Gansu and Qinghai, impacting Haidong. The epicenter was approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province. Subsequent smaller aftershocks followed the initial quake.
The destructive earthquake caused significant damage, leading to collapsed houses and prompting people to flee to the streets for safety, as reported by state news agency Xinhua. President Xi Jinping has urged “all-out efforts” in search and relief operations, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety of survivors and their property.
As rescue operations unfold, emergency services face additional challenges due to freezing temperatures across northern China. Power and water supplies in local villages have been disrupted, and footage from the affected areas showed residents huddling around fires while emergency services set up tents.
Xinhua reported the earthquake as magnitude 6.2, and CCTV captured images of emergency vehicles en route to the scene along snow-lined highways. Rescue personnel, clad in overalls, were seen working tirelessly to navigate debris and assist casualties.
This recent earthquake follows a pattern of seismic activity in China, with earthquakes occurring periodically.
In August, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 struck eastern China, causing injuries and the collapse of numerous buildings.
In September 2022, Sichuan province experienced a 6.6-magnitude quake that resulted in nearly 100 deaths. The devastating 7.9-magnitude quake in 2008 claimed the lives of over 87,000 people, including thousands of school pupils.
