China: Rescuers struggle in sub-zero temperatures as 116 killed after massive quake

Beijing [China]: At least 116 people were killed and hundreds sustained injuries after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.2 jolted an ethnic county in northwest China’s Gansu Province, CNN reported citing the state media.

Late on Monday night, an earthquake in Gansu Province’s Jishishan county caused damage to highways and homes.

Residents ran outside, huddling overnight in the freezing winter cold, while rescuers raced to look for survivors trapped under rubble.

According to officials, 397 persons in Gansu have been hurt so far, 16 of them critically and 76 of them seriously.

The tremors lasted nearly 20 seconds and were felt in the provincial capital of Lanzhou 102 kilometers (63 miles) away, CNN reported citing the state media.

Regarding the situation, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged ‘all-out’ search and rescue efforts and proper arrangements for affected people to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.

According to Global Times, Xi has issued important instructions, demanding full-scale search and rescue efforts, proper resettlement of affected people, and maximum efforts to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property.

In another development, the State Council’s earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management have upgraded the national earthquake emergency response to Level II Xinhua reported, citing the China Earthquake Networks Center, that the quake jolted at 11:59 p.m. (local time) on Monday and had a focal depth of 10 km.

The epicenter Liugou Township is about 8 km from the county seat of Jishishan Bao’an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu.

The witnesses said that the earthquake caused damage to houses, roads and other infrastructure. Several villages have suffered power failures and disruptions to water.