Over 110 killed as magnitude 6.2 quake rattles China

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): At least 111 people have been killed and more than 200 wounded in a powerful earthquake that struck Gansu and Qinghai provinces in northwest China.

The magnitude 6.2 quake, which occurred at midnight, shook an ethnic county in Gansu province, causing significant devastation.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude of the earthquake at 5.9 on the Richter scale at a depth of 10 kilometres.

However, the Chinese authorities gave a slightly higher reading of 6.2 magnitude, reported CNN. Teams of rescue workers were dispatched to assist local emergency crews.

Around 2,220 rescue personnel from the provincial fire department and forest brigade as well as professional emergency rescue teams were sent to the affected area, said Xinhua. Military and police personnel were also engaged in rescue efforts.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an ‘all-out’ operation in response to the disaster. In a bid to prioritise search and rescue efforts, Xi stressed the need for proper arrangements to ensure the safety of affected individuals and their property.

He issued crucial instructions, urging comprehensive search and rescue initiatives, proper resettlement for affected communities and maximum efforts to safeguard lives and property.

Around 200 million yuan ($28m) in natural disaster relief funds had been allocated to Gansu and Qinghai provinces, the BBC said.

Makeshift camps and evacuation sites were swiftly set up for people who have had to flee their homes. About 5,000 buildings and structures have been damaged in Gansu.

As rescuers continue to comb through the rubble in freezing temperatures, the death toll from the Gansu quake rose to 118, with more fatalities expected.

kk/mud