China makes all-out rescue efforts after quake

Rescuers carry an injured person in the quake-stricken area in Jiuzhaigou county, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Aug 9, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

As of 10 p.m. last night, 19 people were killed and 343 were injured after a powerful earthquake struck a popular tourist area in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, according to China Daily.

The 7.0-magnitude quake struck Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. at a depth of 20 kilometers.

Jiuzhaigou is a popular tourist destination in the mountains on the eastern edge of the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau, known for its mountainous landscape and stunning scenery.

At least five of the people who died were tourists, according to the information office of the provincial government.

Of those hurt, about 40 are in a serious condition.

A Frenchman and a Canadian woman were among the injured. Maxence Vallon, 18, a French national, was wounded in both of his legs, while the Canadian woman, who declined to be named, suffered a slight injury to the head. Both are being treated at the people’s hospital of Jiuzhaigou County. The exact number of foreign national casualties in the disaster are not available yet.

When the quake hit, 35,000 tourists were in Zhangzha township. Thousands have already been evacuated and authorities aimed to relocate all tourists by the end of yesterday. A total of 629 Shenzhen tourists from 26 groups in Jiuzhaigou were safe, according to Shenzhen’s tourism association yesterday morning.

Rescuers are still working to clear the rubble, and there are people buried beneath the debris, State broadcaster CCTV said.

There was some disagreement over the size and power of the quake.

President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to rapidly organize relief work and rescue the injured people.

Authorities should check the impact of the earthquake, evacuate and settle visitors and local residents, and reduce deaths and injuries as much as possible, Xi said.

As the earthquake took place during the flood period and tourism season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warning and geological monitoring to guard against other disastersand try their best to protect people’s lives and property, Xi added.

Premier Li Keqiang also urged local authorities to go all out in relief and monitoring work.

China’s cabinet, the State Council, has sent a national work team to the disaster-hit area to guide relief work. Local governments have activated top-level emergency response procedures.

The China Earthquake Administration has launched a Level I emergency response, the highest of its four levels.

Almost 400 fire trucks and more than 1,100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, CCTV said. They are bringing with them 55 life detectors, 30 rescue dogs and 24 generators.

Local authorities announced the closure of the Jiuzhaigou tourist area, which includes a national park known for its waterfalls and topographical formations, beginning yesterday.

China’s government agencies have responded quickly to the earthquake.

Feng Zhenglin, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), confirmed immediate activation of level-III emergency response procedures, asking civil aviation authorities to cooperate with local government in disaster relief.

The CAAC has instructed airports to keep track of available runways and gate positions while asking airlines to help with emergency evacuation of tourists in the disaster-hit area.

The Ministry of Transport has initiated level-II emergency response procedures and formed a leading group to guide local transportation authorities to aid the rescue.

Traffic on highways to the disaster-hit area is being monitored,with special lanes set aside for rescue vehicles travelling into the area.

The China Meteorological Administration has initiated enhanced weather forecasting in the area in order to prevent secondary disasters that could inhibit rescue work.

The Red Cross Society of China has sent 1,000 first aid kits, 2,000 quilts and 200 tents to the area.

Besides government agencies, more than 20 state-owned enterprises supervised by the central government have contributed to the rescue efforts.

The country’s biggest telecommunications operators have set up emergency hotlines to help people locate their relatives while resources including tents, medical equipment and clean water are being delivered to the area.

Sichuan is frequently struck by quakes. At least three major tectonic earthquakes have struck mountainous areas of the provincein the past decade.

In 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan claimed more than 80,000 lives. Five years later, a 7.0-magnitude quake hit Lushan, killing 196.

Tuesday’s temblor wasn’t the only quake in China in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday morning, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The quake struck at 7:27 a.m. local time.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, due to the sparsely populated nature of the area..

(Xinhua)