New Delhi: At least 118 people were killed in the overnight earthquake, which struck northwestern region in China, state media reported on Tuesday.
According to reports, the earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2 according to China Earthquake Networks Center and 5.9 according to the US Geological Survey, occurred near the boundary between Gansu and Qinghai provinces. The shallow depth of 10 km added to the severity of the impact. Tremors were reportedly felt in major cities of Gansu province such as Xi’an and Chengdu.
The earthquake also left more than 400 people injured and severely damaged houses and roads. Infrastructure, in particular water supply, electricity, transport and communications, was damaged.
China’s President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” in the search, relief work, and safeguarding of the survivors and their belongings as rescue workers raced to start digging through rubble in freezing conditions. The government has dispatched teams of rescue workers to assist local emergency crews, according to BBC.
A video, capturing the exact moment of the earthquake’s impacts at Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in NW China’s Gansu, has also surfaced in which buildings can be seen shaking, rubble falling and people immediately rushing out of buildings.
#UPDATE: Video captured the moment when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in NW China’s Gansu on Monday night. The quake can be felt in major cities like Xi’an and Chengdu. pic.twitter.com/CrDeQBbnyO
— People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) December 18, 2023
❗💥🇨🇳 – 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
Deputy Director of the Gansu Blue Sky Rescue has attributed the massive extent of damage to infrastructure to use of clay in construction of houses in the area and added that 70 to 80% are likely to be uninhabitable.
In terms of casualties, the Gansu earthquake is the deadliest since the devastating 2010 earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai province, which claimed almost 2,700 lives, the report added.
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