A devastating earthquake struck north-west China on Monday, resulting in a tragic toll of at least 95 lives lost and 220 people injured, according to state media reports. The seismic event occurred in Gansu province around midnight (16:00 GMT), causing substantial damage to structures in both Gansu and the neighboring province of Qinghai.
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The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake with a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of 10km (six miles). Immediate rescue efforts were initiated early on Tuesday morning, with the central government deploying teams of rescue workers to collaborate with local emergency personnel.
State media agency Xinhua provided grim statistics, citing 86 fatalities and 96 injuries in Gansu, along with an additional nine lives lost and 124 injuries in Qinghai. Distressing footage from the affected region depicted rescuers painstakingly searching through the debris of collapsed buildings and navigating rooms with partially collapsed ceilings.
The earthquake also disrupted power and water supplies in various parts of the region, compounding the challenges faced by the affected communities.
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Situated in a seismically active zone where multiple tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, Indian, and Pacific plates, converge, China is particularly susceptible to earthquakes. This recent tragedy echoes the memory of last September when a 6.6-magnitude quake struck the southwestern Sichuan province, claiming the lives of over 60 people.
Source: bbc
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