China: Earthquake kills at least 118 people in northwest

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: ZHANG HONGXIANG / XINHUA / XINHUA VIA AFP 10:13 a.m., December 19, 2023

Rescuers on Tuesday were trying to find survivors in the rubble after a powerful overnight earthquake killed at least 118 people in northwest China, the deadliest in nearly a decade in the country. The quake occurred about 1,300 km southwest of Beijing in Gansu province and near the border with Qinghai province.

Nearly 600 injured

At least 105 people have been killed and nearly 400 injured in Gansu province after the massive earthquake, according to a report by local authorities on Tuesday morning. The disaster also left 13 people dead and 182 injured, with 20 people missing, in the city of Haidong in neighboring Qinghai province, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The quake damaged thousands of homes, many of which are dilapidated brick structures, and forced residents to run out of harm's way.

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"I almost died of fear. Look at how my hands and legs are shaking," a woman in her 30s said in a video posted on social media by The People's Daily. "As I was running out of the house, a section of mountain collapsed and crashed onto the roof," she added, sitting outside, wrapped in a blanket and holding a baby in her arms. CCTV footage showed a family's belongings strewn among the debris of a collapsed house. In Haidong, vehicles were carrying in supplies and workers were repairing roadblocks, an AFP team at the scene found.

Worst record since 2014

It was the worst death toll after an earthquake in China since at least 2014, when more than 600 people died in southwest China's Yunnan province. China is regularly the scene of earthquakes, sometimes very deadly: in 2008, a huge earthquake in Sichuan province left more than 87,000 dead or missing, including 5,335 schoolchildren. The state-run China News Agency reported that the quake overnight Monday into Tuesday was 6.2 magnitude and was felt as far away as the major city of Xi'an, located about 570 kilometers from the epicenter. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured a magnitude of 5.9.

The quake was followed by several dozen other tremors, with authorities warning that new quakes of magnitude greater than 5 were to be feared in the coming days. Another tremor, with a magnitude of 5.2 according to the USGS, was detected on Monday morning in Xinjiang province, which borders Gansu to the west. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "making every effort" in search and rescue operations, which began early Tuesday, and ensuring the safety of survivors and their property. Russian President Vladimir Putin, an ally of Beijing, offered his "deep" condolences to Xi Jinping, saying on behalf of Russia he shared "the pain of those who lost their loved ones in this disaster."

Frigid temperatures

The strong earthquake in Gansu also caused significant damage. Local authorities said at a press conference on Tuesday morning that nearly 5,000 homes had been damaged in the province. Water and electricity supplies were cut off in villages around the epicenter, according to state media, which said electricity was later partially restored. Temperatures have dropped well below freezing in northern China. CCTV footage from one of the worst-hit areas showed residents warming up by a fire while emergency services set up tents.

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More than 1,400 firefighters and rescue workers were dispatched to the disaster area and more than 1,600 were on standby, according to CCTV. The channel said drinking water, blankets, stoves for heating and instant noodles had also been sent to the area. She added that the central government has already earmarked 200 million yuan ($26 million) for emergency aid to "ensure the safety of people and property, and minimize the impact of losses due to the disaster." Hundreds of people from Gansu have been evacuated, according to authorities.

Last August, a 5.4-magnitude earthquake in eastern China injured 23 people and destroyed dozens of buildings. In September 2022, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province killed nearly 100 people.