China: a magnitude 6.2 earthquake on the night of December 19 killed at least 120 people (video)

In northwestern China, at a temperature of -15°C, rescuers are clearing the rubble in the village of Kangdiao, Gansu Province, where a powerful earthquake occurred on the night of December 19.

By message Euronews, an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck the border between the two provinces shortly before midnight, with a focal depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Center. The US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the magnitude at 5.9. The tremors were recorded approximately 1,300 km southwest of Beijing; the main shock was followed by many smaller ones.

As of this morning, 105 people have been confirmed dead and 397 injured in Gansu, with 16 in critical condition, a spokesman for the provincial emergency management department told a news conference. Thirteen more people were killed and 182 injured in Qinghai, an area north of the epicenter, while 20 were reported missing in Qinghai after being hit by a landslide, state media said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “every effort” in the search and rescue operations, which began early Tuesday, to ensure the safety of survivors.

Temperatures in northern China have dropped well below zero. In one of the most affected areas, according to the China Meteorological Administration, at night the thermometer reached -9°C and even -15°C.

Water and electricity supplies have been cut off in some villages, China News reported. Tents, folding beds and blankets have been sent to the disaster area, state broadcaster CCTV reported. People warm themselves by fires in bitterly cold conditions.

At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police have been deployed to rescue efforts. The remote mountainous region is home to several predominantly Muslim ethnic groups and is close to Tibetan communities. Geographically, Gansu Province lies in the center of China, but the area is commonly referred to as the northwest because it lies on the northwestern edge of China’s more populated plains.

Earthquakes are relatively common in China. In August, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake in eastern China injured 23 people and destroyed dozens of buildings. In September 2022, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in Sichuan province killed nearly 100 people. The largest earthquake, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in 2008, killed more than 87,000 people.

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