The death toll from the 6.2-magnitude earthquake in northwest China has risen to at least 126, with more than 700 people injured, Chinese media reported. The most powerful earthquake in China in the previous nine years destroyed houses and left residents outside on a winter night with temperatures below zero, the PA media agency reported.
Roads were damaged, and power lines and communications were cut in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, officials said.
As emergency workers search for the missing in collapsed buildings and at least one landslide, people who lost their homes are preparing to spend the cold winter night under tents in evacuation centers. Namely, the temperature in those areas is -13 degrees.
Nine aftershocks were recorded until 10:00 a.m. local time, and the strongest had a magnitude of 4.1.
Authorities in Gansu appealed for 300 additional workers for search and rescue operations, and Qinghai officials reported 20 people missing in the landslide, according to Chinese state media, Srna reports.
