A strong earthquake struck a mountainous region in Southwest China, yesterday, August 3rd as 4:30 p.m. local time. So far, the death toll has reached 367, while injured have climbed up to 1,800 people according to state news media. Reportedly, aftershocks continue to hit the area, while power is cut off. Rescue and relief operations are already on their way to the county, however rescue crews will have to work in difficult terrain searching for trapped people under many collapsed homes in the area.
According to USGS, the magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, with its epicenter located in Longtoushan, a town of the Ludian county in southwest China. Ludian county is a mountainous, isolated and seismically active region and is home to approximately 430,000 people. It is among the poorest areas in China, with low quality infrastructure, homes and public buildings, such as many collapsed schools. Reportedly, 12,000 homes have been destroyed, and about 30,000 more damaged, trapping hundreds of people under the rubble. Tens of thousands are left homeless and exposed to continuous rainfall. The Chinese government is sending tents, folding beds, quilts and coats to the affected areas, along with the rescue crews, aiming in looking for trapped people under collapsed buildings.
Li Fei, a recent high school graduate from Xiaochong village, said "the shaking seemed to last forever," adding that none of the five previous shakes she experienced competed in intensity with the Sunday event. She also mentioned that most of the brick made homes on the hills of the village had collapsed. According to state news agency Xinhua, at least one school also collapsed in the area.
Sources: BBC, NYtimes, abcnews
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