Key takeaways:
- At least 118 people were killed and 500 injured in a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in northwestern China
- Severe damage to houses and roads, and power and communication lines were reported
- The Chinese government has sent a team of experts to the affected area to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts
At least 118 people were killed and 500 injured in a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck the cold and mountainous region of northwestern China on Monday night. The quake, which was felt in the nearby provincial capital of Lanzhou, caused severe damage to houses and roads, and knocked out power and communication lines.
Han Shujun, a spokesperson for the Gansu provincial emergency management department, said at a news conference that 105 people had been confirmed dead in Gansu and another 397 injured, including 16 in critical condition. In neighboring Qinghai, 20 people were reported missing in a landslide and 13 were killed and 182 injured in an area north of the epicenter.
Photos and videos posted by a student at Lanzhou University showed students hastily leaving a dormitory building and standing outside with long down jackets over their pajamas. Emergency authorities in Gansu province issued an appeal for 300 additional workers to comb through collapsed buildings and for other search and rescue operations.
The earthquake is the deadliest in China in 10 years. The Chinese government has sent a team of experts to the affected area to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts. The team is also working with local authorities to provide medical aid, food, and shelter to those affected by the disaster.
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