Authorities deployed hundreds of rescuers to the disaster area
Hundreds of people have been injured and killed after a powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck northwestern China a minute before midnight on Monday, according to China Earthquake Networks Center.
The epicenter of the quake was located in China’s mountainous Gansu Province, where at least 100 people were killed, while the neighboring Qinghai Province reported at least 11 fatalities. The powerful jolt damaged multiple houses and infrastructure, and disrupted transportation, communications, water and electricity lines, according to local media.
Authorities sent dozens of ambulances and hundreds of rescue personnel to help the victims and deal with the aftermath of the quake. As of 6:30 am on Tuesday, the number of those treated for various injuries had grown to 300 people, according to the Global Times.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called for an “all-out search and rescue effort” to minimize the casualties and ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, according to Xinhua.
