118 Killed, 500 Injured Over Deadly Earthquake in China

 China – A 6.2-magnitude earthquake has killed 118 people and injured another 500 in a mountainous region of northwestern China on Monday night.

The earthquake struck at 11.59 pm (4pm GMT) at a shallow depth of 10km in Gansu province and neighbouring Qinghai province, the China Earthquake Networks Centre said, as reported from the Independent site. It was followed by a second 5.5 magnitude earthquake hours later in neighbouring Xinjiang.

Emergency workers are carrying out search and rescue operations in Gansu and Qinghai, braving freezing weather conditions at high altitudes.

The earthquake has damaged over 4,700 houses as well as major roads, and knocked out power and communication lines, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Water supply lines were also reported to have been impacted.

"All efforts should be made to carry out search and rescue, treat the injured in a timely manner, and minimise casualties," President Xi Jinping said.

Around 105 people had been confirmed dead in Gansu and 397 are injured, including 16 in critical condition, Han Shujun, a spokesperson for the provincial emergency management department, said at a news conference.

Eleven others were killed and at least 140 injured in Qinghai, according to state media. As information, Gansu is one of China’s poorest regions, bordering Mongolia between the Tibetan and Loess plateaus.

It is currently witnessing freezing conditions, with overnight lows in the area recorded at -15C to -9C, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Video footage showed patients arriving at hospitals, while rescuers combed through the debris of buildings that had collapsed in the dark of night.

University students in Lanzhou rushed out of their dorms, according to a social media post, showing images of young people standing outside.

The earthquake was measured at 5.9 magnitude by the United States Geological Survey, though China’s monitoring agency said it measured 6.2.