More than 20,000 evacuated after 5.5 earthquake in Northwest China
A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Tebo County in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China’s Gansu Province on Monday afternoon, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Xinhua.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the earthquake occurred at 2:56 p.m. Beijing Time. No casualties have been reported following an initial round of comprehensive inspections, though cracks were found in some buildings, local authorities said.
Authorities in Tebo County have carried out the urgent relocation of residents from hazardous areas. As of press time, more than 20,000 people had been evacuated to safety, while assessments of the overall damage were ongoing.
Preliminary investigations showed that tremors were strongly felt near the epicenter. Power supply, communications and water services in the affected areas remain normal.
Following the earthquake, public security authorities deployed 350 officers to carry out search and rescue operations. In addition, the Gansu provincial fire and rescue corps mobilized 340 personnel, 65 vehicles and seven search dogs to the affected areas.
Local officials said temporary settlement sites had been set up, and emergency supplies such as quilts, stoves and coal were being delivered.
The Office of the State Council Earthquake Relief Headquarters, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the China Earthquake Administration activated a Level IV emergency response on Monday.
The epicenter was located at 34.06 degrees north latitude and 103.25 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that on January 7, the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) activated a Level IV emergency response following a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in the Kashgar region of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.