08.03 Strong earthquake hits China's Yunnan province, at least 367 killed

[TaiShang]

Xi calls for saving people's lives first after deadly quake

Xinhua

President Xi Jinping has called for saving people's lives first after a strong earthquake rattled Southwest China's Yunnan Province Sunday and killed at least 175 people.

In instructions issued late Sunday night, Xi ordered that authorities concerned give top priority to saving people's lives, minimize casualties and guarantee a proper settlement for quake victims.

He called for all-out efforts in relief operation and strengthening aftershock monitoring to prevent secondary disasters.

Premier Li Keqiang also made instructions for disaster relief, urging local authorities to try every possible means to save the injured people and those buried in rubble.

He required that local authorities provide residents in quake zone with adequate food, clothes, clean drinking water, temporary shelters and timely medical treatment.

In addition, Li called for ensuring unblocked telecommunication and transport of relief supplies and staff. Social order in the quake zone should also be maintained.

The 6.5-magnitude quake struck at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) with a depth of 12 km. The epicenter was in Longtoushan Township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, Zhaotong City.

The quake has left at least 175 people dead, 1,400 others injured and 181 missing.

 

[Gautam]

Rest in peace

 

[Nike]

i feel sorry when hear this news

 

[cnleio]

 

[Politically-Correct]

Infrastructure in quake-prone areas need to proper re-development.

 

[cnleio]

 

[Adnan Butt]

My condolences. RIP to the dead

 

[SOHEIL]

 

[Al Bhatti]

4 August 2014

Rescuers search for survivors in the debris after an earthquake hit Ludian county in Zhaotong, southwest China's Yunnan province.

China earthquake death toll rises to 381
About 12,000 mostly brick homes collapsed when the quake struck on Sunday afternoon in the impoverished Ludian county, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) northeast of Yunnan’s capital, Kunming, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Rescuers dug through shattered homes on Monday looking for survivors of a strong earthquake in southern China’s Yunnan province that killed at least 381 people and injured more than 1,800.

About 12,000 mostly brick homes collapsed when the quake struck on Sunday afternoon in the impoverished Ludian county, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) northeast of Yunnan’s capital, Kunming, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The streets of Ludian county seat of Zhaotong were like a “battlefield after a bombardment,” resident Ma Liya told Xinhua. She added that her neighbor’s house, a new two-story building, had toppled, and said the quake was far worse than one that struck the area in 2012 and killed 81 people.

“I have never felt such strong tremors before. All I can see are ruins,” Ma said. “The aftermath is much, much worse than what happened after the quake two years ago.”

The magnitude-6.1 quake struck at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was in Ludian county township of Longtoushan. China’s earthquake monitoring agency put the magnitude at 6.5.


Rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the area in the coming hours, complicating efforts to bring tents, water food and other relief supplies to survivors. Roads had caved in, and rescuers were forced to travel on foot.

Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV said 381 people were killed, citing rescuers. CCTV said 1,891 were injured, three were missing and 29,400 had been evacuated. The death toll was expected to rise, once rescuers reached remote communities to assess casualties.

Many of the homes that collapsed in Ludian, which has a population of about 429,000, were old and made of brick, Xinhua said, adding that electricity and telecommunications were cut off in the county.

The mountainous region where the quake occurred is largely agricultural, with farming and mining the top industries, and is prone to earthquakes.

Relief efforts were underway, with more than 2,500 troops dispatched to the disaster region, Xinhua said. The Red Cross Society of China allocated quilts, jackets and tents for those made homeless by the quake, while Red Cross branches in Hong Kong, Macau and neighboring Sichuan province also sent relief supplies.

Premier Li Keqiang was en route to Yunnan to oversee quake relief, Xinhua said.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered “his condolences to the Chinese Government and the families of those killed,” according to a statement from his office. The statement said the U.N. is ready to “lend its assistance to efforts to respond to humanitarian needs” and “to mobilize any international support needed.”

The White House also offered its condolences.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those that lost their lives,” said National Security Council deputy spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan. “The United States stands ready to assist.”

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the quake was the strongest to hit Yunnan in 14 years.

In 1970, a magnitude-7.7 earthquake in Yunnan killed at least 15,000 people, and a magnitude-7.1 quake in the province killed more than 1,400 in 1974. In September 2012, 81 people died and 821 were injured in a series of quakes in the Yunnan region.


In May 2008, a powerful quake in Sichuan province left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing.

China earthquake death toll rises to 381 - Khaleej Times

 

[kbd-raaf]

Rest in peace to the victims. Strength and resolve the rescuers.

 

[Sam.]

China quake: Toll rises to 381

The toll from the 6.5-magnitude devastating earthquake that jolted southwest China’s Yunnan province has now risen to over 380. The quake hit at 4:30 pm local time (1400 IST) on Sunday, at a depth of 12 kms with the epicenter in Longtoushan township, 23 kms southwest of the county seat of Ludian, Zhaotong City.

At least 381 people have been killed as of Monday morning, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The massive quake left a trail of destruction with more than 12,000 houses toppled and 30,000 damaged, it said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is en route to the quake region to supervise disaster relief work, the news agency said.

Over 1,591 were injured in Ludian County and the quake has also left 60 dead and 193 injured in Qiaojia County. This is the second quake in about two years. In September 2012, a 5.7-magnitude quake caused more than 80 deaths and injured over 800 people.

In 1974, a 7.1-magnitude quake in the same place killed more than 1,400 people. Jiang Haikun, a research fellow with the CENC, said that aftershocks measuring 5 to 6 on the Richter scale are possible in the area, but he ruled out the possibility of stronger quakes in the epicentre.

“Yunnan is prone to moderate and strong quakes, and such quakes usually occur on similar scales. We will keep a close eye over the aftershocks,” Jiang said.

President Xi Jinping has ordered that authorities concerned give top priority to saving people’s lives, minimise casualties and guarantee a proper settlement for quake victims. He called for putting an all-out effort in relief operation and strengthening aftershock monitoring to prevent secondary disasters.

Premier Li also made instructions for disaster relief, urging local authorities to try every possible means to save the injured people and those buried in rubble. He asked local authorities to provide residents in quake zone with adequate food, clothes, clean drinking water, temporary shelters and timely medical treatment.

Local authorities have dispatched more than 7,000 rescuers to the quake zone, including troops, police officers, fire-fighters and government officials. They were joined by more than 2,500 troops sent by the Chengdu Military Area Command of the People’s Liberation Army, and 60 medical workers and 90 rescuers sent by authorities in the neighboring Sichuan Province.

In addition, the Yunnan Branch of China Eastern Airlines has brought relief work teams to Zhaotong. The civil affairs authorities said that 20,050 tents, 15,000 folding beds, 29,500 quilts and 25,000 coats have been sent to the area.

However, unfavorable weather conditions may hamper rescue and relief work, as it is raining hard in the quake zone. More rains are forecast in the coming week, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

China quake: Toll rises to 381 | The Indian Express

RIP to the dead

India sent 20,050 tents, 15,000 folding beds, 29,500 quilts and 25,000 coats to help the victims.

 

[Faizan.itec]

Allah Bless All of them

 

[William Hung]

I've noticed that the majority of quakes and natural disaster during the last 2 decades only affected the poor regions. Other than Fukushima, I can't think of any other rich cities hit with high casualty.

 

[474474]

RIP to the dead.
In the long term I think the Chinese will manage it well like how the Japanese did recently and fix everything (correct me if I'm wrong Chinese members).

 

[cnleio]

I've noticed that the majority of quakes and natural disaster during the last 2 decades only affected the poor regions. Other than Fukushima, I can't think of any other rich cities hit with high casualty.

Recent years the earthquake attack moutain regions like West SiChuan and YunNan provinces, these moutain villages and towns easily get damages in earthquake by moutain debris flow.

There's only one attack in East China, 1970s TanShang earthquake. But i think it will be a huge disaster to these millions ppl of rich cities.