A devastating earthquake struck northwest China, leading to significant casualties and widespread damage. State media reported that at least 118 people lost their lives, and hundreds were injured following the quake, which hit Jishishan county in Gansu Province late on Monday night. The earthquake, the deadliest China has seen in nearly ten years, caused severe damage to homes and infrastructure, prompting urgent rescue operations in freezing conditions.
As of Tuesday morning, the death toll in Gansu Province stood at 105, with 397 people injured and over 4,700 houses damaged, as announced by provincial authorities. In the adjacent Qinghai Province, 13 people were confirmed dead, 182 injured, and 20 remained missing.
The earthquake, occurring just before midnight, was a 5.9-magnitude tremor according to the United States Geological Survey, though the China Earthquake Networks Center reported a slightly higher magnitude of 6.2. The epicenter was near the border of Gansu and Qinghai, in a mountainous area on the Tibetan plateau’s edge, followed by nine aftershocks of magnitude 3 or higher.
The tremors, lasting nearly 20 seconds, were felt as far away as the provincial capital Lanzhou, about 102 kilometers (63 miles) from the epicenter. Students at Lanzhou University shared their experiences on social media, describing frantic scenes as they evacuated buildings amidst the shaking.
Homes in some villages in Gansu and Qinghai collapsed, with rescue workers seen on CCTV footage extracting survivors from the debris. The earthquake disrupted water and electricity supplies and mobile signals, further challenging the rescue operations.
Responding to the disaster, around 4,000 emergency personnel, including firefighters, police officers, and soldiers, have been deployed to Gansu, along with essential supplies like tents, beds, quilts, and portable heaters.
Bitter temperatures
In Jishishan, the epicenter of the earthquake and home to approximately 260,000 residents, many people were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in open spaces. State and social media platforms displayed images and videos of families gathered in public squares, wrapped in thick blankets to keep warm.
A resident of Jishishan recounted her harrowing experience, having to escape her home barefoot amidst falling debris, with the second floor of her home collapsing. Her account was shared with Jiupai News, a media outlet associated with the state-run Changjiang Daily.
In response, authorities have established temporary shelters in Dahejia, a particularly affected town in Jishishan, where tents were erected in a local square, as reported by CCTV.
Temperatures in Jishishan plunged to -14 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, adding severe challenges to the rescue efforts. Wang Duo, a rescue expert, highlighted to China Newsweek that the sub-zero temperatures were complicating the critical 72-hour “golden period” for rescues.
This earthquake coincides with a recent cold wave sweeping across northwest China, leading to near-record low temperatures in some northern regions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for maximum efforts in rescue and relief operations, particularly given the high-altitude and cold conditions of the affected area, as per Xinhua news. In response to the crisis, China’s Finance and Emergency Management Ministries have allocated 200 million yuan ($28 million) for disaster relief in the quake-hit provinces.
China, especially its southwestern regions, is prone to significant seismic activity due to the interaction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. This recent earthquake is the deadliest the country has experienced in almost a decade, since a quake in Yunnan province claimed about 600 lives in 2014.
Another neighboring province, Sichuan, experienced a catastrophic 7.9 magnitude earthquake in 2008, resulting in approximately 90,000 fatalities.
