More than 90 people were killed in an earthquake on the night of Monday December 18 to Tuesday December 19 in northwest China’s Gansu province, state media reported Tuesday morning.
The earthquake, measuring 5.9 magnitude according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), caused significant damage; houses collapsed, forcing residents to flee into the streets. state news agency Xinhua reported, as rescue operations began early Tuesday.
The earthquake occurred in Gansu province, near the border with Qinghai province. Eighty-six people were killed and ninety-six injured in Gansu province, and nine people were killed and one hundred and twenty-four injured in the city of Haidong in neighboring Qinghai province, according to China new.
Videos posted on social networks show destroyed ceilings and rubble. Water and electricity supplies were interrupted in some villages, according to the agency.
At 10 km depth
Authorities sent emergency relief personnel to the region immediately after the earthquake, and provincial leaders are also on their way, Xinhua reported.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers at 11:59 p.m. local time Monday (1659 GMT), according to the USGS, which revised the magnitude down after initially announcing 6.0.
According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred about 100 kilometers southwest of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, and was followed by several other smaller earthquakes.