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A 6.2 magnitude earthquake in northwestern Gansu Province, China, has resulted in over 100 deaths as buildings and other structures collapsed.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Center on the 19th, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred in Jishishan County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, at 11:59 p.m. (Korea time 0:59 a.m. on the 19th).
The epicenter was located at 35.70 degrees north latitude and 102.79 degrees east longitude, and the depth of the earthquake was 6.2 miles. Following the earthquake, there have been a total of 275 aftershocks, including two earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 to 4.9. According to China’s state-run CCTV on the day, a total of 118 people died from this earthquake. The number of deaths in Gansu Province was 105, and 13 people died in nearby Qinghai Province.
The confirmed number of injured is 182, and 20 people are still missing. Infrastructure such as houses, water supply, electricity, and roads have also been significantly damaged. Chinese media predict that the number of deaths and injuries will continue to increase as search operations intensify their search for bodies.
Images and photos reported by Chinese media show rescue teams clearing the debris of collapsed buildings and rescuing people trapped underneath, and people who have evacuated outside the buildings wearing blankets. After the earthquake, the Chinese authorities dispatched rescue teams and are conducting emergency rescue operations, but difficulties are being reported due to the wide area of damage and cold weather. Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, where the earthquake occurred, is a highland area with an altitude of 6561.68 feet, and the temperature drops to -10 degrees Fahrenheit in the morning. President Xi Jinping issued an emergency directive ordering the rescue of the injured and the prevention of secondary damage. President Xi said, “Search and rescue operations should be carried out and the injured should be treated promptly to minimize casualties,” and “The People’s Liberation Army should actively cooperate with local governments to carry out emergency rescue and relief activities.”
The Chinese authorities have decided to increase support, including dispatching medical personnel for treating the injured, providing tents, folding beds, and blankets, and reinforcing rescue teams.
The authorities have blocked all roads leading to the earthquake area in preparation for the possibility of aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or higher. There are no reports of damage to our compatriots. The Korean Embassy in China said, “We express our condolences to the victims and hope that the order of life in the earthquake-stricken areas will be restored as soon as possible.”
Chinese experts pointed out that the damage was severe because the earthquake occurred in the middle of the night. Professor Xu Xiwei of the China University of Geosciences said, “The damage appears to have been exacerbated by factors such as the low number of earthquake-resistant houses, the high population density of the area, and the fact that residents were unable to evacuate in time when the earthquake occurred at midnight.”
Meanwhile, at 9:46 a.m. on the same day, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred in Atushi City, Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is approximately 2,200 km away from the epicenter in Lushan County, Sichuan Province.
Atushi City experienced a magnitude 5.4 earthquake on December 8th.
By. Kwang Soo Kim
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