Beijing
The death toll from the powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale that struck China’s Gansu and Qinghai provinces has risen to 131, with 980 reported injuries, according to authorities. Gansu, the worst-affected province, accounted for 113 deaths and 782 injuries, while in Qinghai, at least 18 people have died, 198 are injured, and 16 remain unaccounted for. The earthquake, striking at 11:59 p.m. on Monday with a focal depth of 10 km, had its epicenter in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. This event stands as China’s deadliest earthquake in recent years, and the death toll may increase further as rescue operations persist amid sub-zero temperatures. Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed thousands of rescue crew members to the region, known for its diversity and economic challenges. The earthquake marks the deadliest in China since 2014 when over 600 people lost their lives in a quake in the south-western Yunnan province. Footage from state TV and social media revealed entire villages split by the quake, along with collapsed buildings and houses. The challenging conditions are exacerbated by temperatures dropping to -13 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. China, situated at the convergence of several tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, Indian, and Pacific plates, is highly susceptible to earthquakes. The country’s most devastating earthquake in recent decades occurred in Sichuan in 2008, claiming 87,000 lives.
