China: 118 people killed and over 500 injured after 6.2-magnitude earthquake

In China, at least 118 people were killed and over 500 injured after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck two northwestern provinces of Gansu and Qinghai.

State media has reported that the strong shallow earthquake struck shortly before midnight yesterday, sending residents fleeing outside, into below-freezing temperatures. Thousands of houses and public infrastructure are reported to have been damaged in the earthquake. Gansu authorities said 105 lost their lives in the province while 397 people were injured.

Qinghai reported death of 13 people, 182 injured while 20 are still missing. It is the deadliest earthquake in China since 2010 when an earthquake measuring 6.9 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Gansu and Qinghai and killed at least 2,698 people.

China’s President, Xi Jinping, called for “all-out efforts” in the search and rescue work. State media said, more than 3,000 firefighters have been deployed or placed on standby, and hundreds of military personnel have been sent to the area. The ministries of finance and emergency management have allocated over 22 million pounds in emergency relief funds.