Rescuers are fighting the bitter cold in what they say is a 72-hour «golden window» to find survivors.
China mobilized thousands of firefighters and members of its military after a major earthquake struck the country’s northwestern regions near the stroke of midnight on Monday, killing more than 100 people, state media outlets said.
The temblor’s epicenter was identified in Jishishan, a county in Gansu province home to predominantly Muslim ethnic minority groups. Rescuers reported at least 105 deaths there, China’s official Xinhua News Agency said on Tuesday morning.
In neighboring Qinghai, a province spread across the Tibetan Plateau, at least 13 people were killed in the disaster, according to local emergency management authorities, who said hundreds more were injured in both regions.
There were also reports of widespread damage to hundreds of homes and other infrastructure including power and water supplies, which were being gradually restored.
The country’s quake-prone western regions typically experience intensive tectonic activity throughout the year.
