Midnight earthquake death toll rises to 111 in NW China

This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2023 shows houses damaged by earthquake at Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

JISHISHAN, Gansu Province/XINING, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted an ethnic county in northwest China's Gansu Province midnight Monday has killed 111 people in Gansu and neighboring Qinghai Province, according to local earthquake relief headquarters.

According to China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake jolted at 11:59 p.m. Monday and has a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter Liugou Township is about 8 km from the county seat of Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu.

Witnesses told Xinhua the earthquake has caused damages on houses, roads and other infrastructures. Several villages have suffered power failures and disruption of water.

According to local meteorological authorities, the daily low temperature in Jishishan is reported to reach minus 10 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

The provincial fire and rescue department has sent 580 rescuers aided with 88 fire engines, 12 search and rescue dogs, more than 10,000 sets of equipment to the disaster area.

The railway authority has suspended passenger and cargo trains passing through the quake zone and ordered a safety check of railway tracks.

Hu Changsheng, Party chief of Gansu, and Ren Zhenhe, governor of Gansu, have rushed to the disaster area to command rescue and relief.

Workers repair power supply facilities outside a hospital in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

A police officer guides a rescue vehicle at Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2023 shows houses damaged by earthquake at Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2023 shows houses damaged by earthquake at Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2023 shows houses damaged by earthquake at Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

A person injured in an earthquake is transferred to a hospital in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

Rescuers get prepared for rescue operation at the earthquake-jolted Chenjia Village in Jishishan Bao'an, Dongxiang, Sala Autonomous County of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping)

A person injured in an earthquake receives treatment at a hospital in Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County of Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

A person injured in an earthquake receives treatment at a hospital in Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County of Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Dec. 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)