On Tuesday, December 19, a devastating earthquake struck the central part of China, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 116 lives, as reported by the state-owned agency “Xinhua” and Central Television. The affected regions include Gansu and Qinghai provinces, where more than 300 people sustained injuries, TuraNews.kz reports.
The earthquake, with a magnitude reported at 6.2 by Chinese authorities (while the United States Geological Survey estimated it at 5.9), left 105 people dead in Gansu province and claimed the lives of an additional 11 individuals in Qinghai province.
In addition to the loss of lives, the disaster severely disrupted essential services, including water and electricity supply, as well as transportation infrastructure. Official media revealed that 186 people were injured in Gansu and at least 140 in Qinghai.
The impact on housing was significant, with 4,782 houses reported as damaged in Gansu alone. Local authorities have taken swift action, issuing orders to dispatch tents, folding beds, and blankets to the affected regions.
China’s President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China has called for a large-scale search operation to minimize the number of casualties. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Gansu province, approximately 5 kilometers from the administrative border with Qinghai.
This recent seismic event is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of certain regions to earthquakes, and the Chinese government is actively responding to address the immediate needs of the affected population. The magnitude and impact of the earthquake draw parallels to one of the most destructive earthquakes in recent Chinese history, which occurred in May 2008 in Sichuan province, claiming the lives of over 87 thousand people.
