Beijing: A massive earthquake struck China’s Gansu Province near the border with Qinghai during the intervening night of December 18 and 19, 2023 resulting in deaths and injuries in hundreds and causing significant damages.
At least 116 were killed and almost 400 injured in Gansu province, local officials said, after the strong, shallow tremor struck around midnight measuring 6.2 at Richter scale.
The earthquake struck at a shallow depth at 11:59 pm local time Monday (15:59 GMT), according to the USGS.
Gansu provincial authorities earlier told a press conference that as of 7:50 am (23:50 GMT on Monday), 105 people had been confirmed dead, and 397 injured.
More than 4,700 houses had been damaged, they added. Power and water supplies were disrupted in some villages, Xinhua said.
According to CCTV, at least 11 people were also killed in the city of Haidong in Qinghai. Haidong is situated close to the epicentre about 100km (60 miles) southwest of Gansu Province’s capital, Lanzhou.
The 6.2-magnitude #earthquake that jolted Jishishan county in Northwest #China's Gansu province late Monday evening has killed 100 people in the province and 11 people in Qinghai province, according to official data. pic.twitter.com/QoxlVe54kb— Ifeng News (@IFENG__official) December 19, 2023
The 6.2-magnitude #earthquake that jolted Jishishan county in Northwest #China's Gansu province late Monday evening has killed 100 people in the province and 11 people in Qinghai province, according to official data. pic.twitter.com/QoxlVe54kb
The US Geological Survey reported the quake was a magnitude 5.9, while the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said it was a magnitude 6.1.
A second quake struck neighbouring Xinjiang hours later on Tuesday, according to BBC.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered full rescue efforts to Gansu, one of China's poorest regions.
Temperatures are below freezing in the high-altitude area, and rescuers should be on guard for secondary disasters, he said according to CCTV.
That epicentre is about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Gansu province's capital, Lanzhou, accodring to AFP.
Xinhua reported the quake -- which was felt in the major city of Xi'an in northern Shaanxi province, about 570 kilometres (350 miles) away -- as being magnitude 6.2.
For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App.
Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
