Powerful Earthquake In China: More Than 100 People Killed

• 19.12.2023, 8:12

There is significant destruction.

At night from Monday to Tuesday, December 19, there was an earthquake in China with a magnitude of 6.2. As a result of strong shocks at least 111 people were killed, and more than 230 others were injured.

The earthquake occurred in the north-west of China in the province of Gansu, reports Reuters. Its source was at a depth of 10 km, and the epicentre - 102 km southwest of Lanzhou, the capital of the province.

The data on the power of the earthquake is somewhat different: The US Geological Survey gives a figure of 5.9, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre - 6.1, and Chinese state media - 6.2.

According to the latter, the epicentre of the earthquake was located 5 km from the border between two northwestern provinces of China, strong quakes were felt in many parts of Qinghai province. Nine aftershocks of magnitude of 3.0 and above were also recorded.

A level four emergency was declared due to the natural disaster. In the morning of December 19, the temperature near the earthquake site was around -14 degrees Celsius.

"As the disaster area is located in a high mountainous region where the weather is cold, rescue services are working to prevent secondary disasters caused by factors unrelated to the earthquake," the statement said.

Preliminarily, the earthquake caused significant damage and serious economic losses. Water and electricity supply lines, transport and communication infrastructure were damaged.