China Quake Death Toll Rises As Rescuers Search For Survivors


An earthquake in China has taken the lives of more than 200 people and left more than 1,000 seriously injured, according to the latest reports. Rescuers were still struggling to reach the hardest hit areas in Sichuan province on Sunday, one day after the 6.6 quake struck.

The earthquake is the worst the country has seen in three years. The majority of the dead lived in Lushan county, the same area where a massive 7.9 quake struck in May 2008. The death toll for that incident was 70,000.

Rescuers’ efforts were hampered on Sunday by the narrowness of the road, as well as landslides. The government also put controls in place to restrict access and avoid traffic jams. Kevin Xia of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, stated:

“The Luchan county center is getting back to normal, but the need is still considerable in terms of shelter and materials. Supplies have had difficulty getting into the region because of the traffic jams. Most of our supplies are still on the way.”

Relief workers from across China gathered in Ya’an to assist with earthquake recovery. They expressed frustration with the lack of access to Lushan and other villages in need of help. Along with traffic jams, landslides and collapsed roads have prevented workers from reaching the villages hit hardest by the quake in China.

Soldiers worked through the night to search for survivors of the China quake in villages where houses were destroyed. The country’s new Premier Li Keqiang rushed to the disaster zone. He was seen by CCTV eating breakfast in a tent. He spoke with state media, explaining, “The rescue effort is our first duty.”

More than 17,000 Chinese soldiers, pilots, and police have joined in the rescue operation. Five drones were also sent to capture aerial images of the damages. Meanwhile, doctors and nurses in Lushan tended to the wounded in tents and in the open on the grounds of the main hospital.

While thousands of homes collapsed during the quake in China, no schools collapsed, unlike in 2008. Many poorly constructed schools collapsed, prompting a nationwide campaign of re-building to make structures more earthquake-proof.

[Image via ShutterStock]

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