Over 118 individuals have perished and several hundred more were injured following an earthquake in northwest China, as reported by state media on Tuesday.
Amid freezing temperatures, emergency teams hastened to aid survivors after the quake struck Jishishan County in Gansu Province late on Monday.
The earthquake caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure, prompting rescuers to search for those trapped under debris and residents to gather outside in the severe winter chill.
By Tuesday morning, the earthquake had resulted in the death of 105 people and injured 397 in Gansu, with over 4,700 houses damaged, as announced by provincial authorities. In the adjacent Qinghai province, 13 fatalities and 182 injuries were reported, with 20 people still missing as of noon, according to local officials.
Occurring just before midnight, the 5.9-magnitude quake, as measured by the United States Geological Survey, struck while many residents were likely asleep.
The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded a slightly higher magnitude of 6.2. The epicenter was near the Gansu-Qinghai border, a mountainous area on the Tibetan plateau’s eastern edge, and was followed by nine aftershocks of magnitude 3 or higher.
The tremors, lasting about 20 seconds, were felt in Lanzhou, the provincial capital, located 102 kilometers (63 miles) away. University students in Lanzhou shared images on Weibo of people gathering outside their dormitories.
One student recounted hiding in a bathroom and then fleeing down 12 floors during the quake, experiencing intense tremors and braving temperatures below –10 degrees Celsius.
Numerous homes in villages across Gansu and Qinghai collapsed, with rescue footage showing firefighters extracting survivors from the wreckage. The earthquake also disrupted water, electricity, and mobile signal services, further challenging rescue operations.
To respond to this catastrophe, at least 4,000 firefighters, police officers, and soldiers have been deployed to the affected areas in Gansu. Additionally, emergency supplies, including tents, folding beds, quilts, and portable fire pits, are being provided by provincial officials.
