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Xi Jinping has pressed officials to undertake an “all-out” search and rescue effort after an earthquake in China’s north-west killed more than 118 people and left hundreds more injured.
China’s state media reported that 105 people were killed in Gansu province and another 13 in neighbouring Qinghai after a quake struck the mountainous regions just before midnight on Monday.
Rescuers were “racing against time” to find survivors, according to Xinhua, China’s state news agency.
As rescue and recovery operations continued in sub-zero conditions on Tuesday, China’s president urged the swift delivery of relief supplies as well as infrastructure repairs and emergency accommodation for those affected.
According to Xinhua, the People’s Liberation Army and police have been called on to support local officials in emergency rescue and disaster relief. The state council, China’s cabinet, dispatched a working group to help guide the recovery effort.
While the full extent of the damage in Gansu was still emerging on Tuesday, state television showed rubble-filled streets and rescuers pulling survivors from collapsed buildings. The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.2, damaged water, power, transport and communication infrastructure, state media said.
Natural disasters in China have in the past become political lightning rods, despite the Chinese Communist party’s tight control over speech and media.
The devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008, which killed 80,000, sparked public outrage over shoddy construction that contributed to the deaths of thousands, including children killed after schools collapsed.
In the immediate aftermath of Monday’s quake, social media posts reflected mostly concern for the victims and praise for officials’ response, as well as advice for disaster survival.
Taiwan’s vice-president Lai Ching-te, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Progressive party, which is fervently opposed by Beijing, offered support for the recovery via social media platform X.
“My deepest condolences to those affected by the recent earthquake in north-western China,” Lai wrote.
“Our thoughts are with the impacted communities, and we extend our prayers for a speedy recovery. Taiwan is prepared to provide support in the ongoing disaster response efforts.”
In Beijing, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Ministry of Finance said that nearly $30mn had been allocated for disaster relief efforts in Gansu and Qinghai.
Gansu shares a border with Mongolia to the north and has a
population of about 26mn people. While it has long been one of China’s poorest areas, it is becoming an increasingly important location for solar and wind energy developments.
Additional reporting by Eleanor Olcott in Hong Kong and Wang Xueqiao in Shanghai
