BEIJING – A tragic earthquake in northwest China has claimed the lives of at least 118 individuals, leaving communities devastated as buildings crumbled under the force of the earthquake.
The province of Gansu bore the brunt of the disaster, with 105 reported fatalities and numerous injuries resulting from the powerful and shallow earthquake.
The provincial earthquake relief headquarters, as cited by state broadcaster CCTV, is leading rescue efforts, with workers racing against time to examine through the bricks in the aftermath of the tragedy. Furthermore, the city of Haidong in the neighboring Qinghai province witnessed 11 fatalities and 100 injuries, adding to the human toll reported by CCTV.
❗💥🇨🇳 – New images of the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that hit China, the death toll rose to 118 and at least 400 were injured.
The most powerful tremors occurred in Jishan county in northwest China’s Gansu province.
Infrastructure, in particular water supply, electricity,… pic.twitter.com/FlnGH0MeLQ
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformantofc) December 19, 2023
The tremorous 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, with subsequent smaller aftershocks compounding the challenges faced by the affected regions.
The destructive earthquake caused significant damage, resulting in collapsed houses and forcing residents to seek safety in the streets, as reported by state news agency Xinhua.
President Xi Jinping has called for “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 are faced with additional challenges posed by freezing temperatures across northern China. Disruptions in power and water supplies have been reported in local villages, and footage from the affected areas depicts residents clustering around fires while emergency services set up tents to provide shelter.
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, dressed in overalls, were seen working tirelessly to navigate debris and assist casualties.
This recent earthquake follows a concerning 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.
Just last September, Sichuan province experienced a 6.6-magnitude quake that resulted in nearly 100 deaths. The memory of the devastating 7.9-magnitude quake in 2008, which claimed the lives of over 87,000 people, including thousands of school pupils, looms large as the nation handles with the outcome of this latest natural disaster.
