Strong earthquake kills at least 180 in south-west China
AFTERSHOCK 180 more reported missing; Hundreds of rescue workers dispatched to quake hit areas
A strong earthquake jolted a mountainous area in southwest China’s Yunnan province on Sunday, killing at least 180 people, injuring over 1,300 and disrupting electricity and transportation facilities over a wide area.
The death toll is expected to rise sharply with at least 180 people reported missing till late on Sunday night.
State media reported that the strong quake hit at 4:30 pm Sunday (Beijing Time) with a depth of 12 km and the epicenter in Longtoushan township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, Zhaotong City.
The 6.1 magnitude quake, which triggered strong tremors, toppled buildings and trapped hundreds of residents inside their own homes on a weekly holiday. Many houses were damaged with cracks appearing on the walls; according to initial estimates at least 12,000 houses toppled and at least 30,000 were damaged.
According to state broadcaster, CCTV, it was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in over a decade.
A rescue and relief operation was launched by local authorities and Beijing was coordinating in dispatching more workers and rescue equipment from adjoining areas to the quake-hit region.
Rescue operations could be hampered by aftershocks and the expected heavy rain in the coming days.
Residents spoke of feeling strong jolts and “sailing” while driving their cars. Ma Liya, a resident in the county seat, told Xinhua that the streets were like battlefield after bombardment. She added “the house of a neighbour, a new two-story building, was toppled,” a report by the official news agency Xinhua said.
According to Xinhua, Zhaotong City had dispatched more than 300 police and firefighters to the quakehit areas. The province also sent 392 rescuers and 12 sniffer dogs. The civil affairs authorities are sending 2,000 tents, 3,000 folding beds, 3,000 quilts and 3,000 coats to the quake region.
The region is in the earthquake belt. “In September 2012, a 5.7-magnitude caused more than 80 deaths and injured more than 800 people. In 1974, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the same place caused over 1,400 deaths,” Xinhua reported.