Hundreds Injured in Powerful Quake in SW China ProvinceAt least 406 people were injured in an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale in Wuding County, located in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on August 21.Among the injured eight were reportedly seriously injured and the rest were hurt in the panic. More than 169,242 local residents lost their houses and 56 local schools were devastated in the shock. Provincial and local leaders came to the affected area to supervise the rescue work. A quick response team was formed to aid local relief workers in the quake area, meanwhile the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture government allotted around 300,000 yuan (US$37,500) to fund the relief work. So far all the local residents in the area have been resettled and the first batch of aid has reached them, according to a spokesman from Wuding County government. The quake destroyed 16 reservoirs, 56 bridges, one power station, roads and communication and electricity transmission facilities. The shock also damaged several neighbouring counties. One resident in nearby Yuanmou County fell to the ground and died when she tried to climb out of the building where she lived. Sources said the epicentre was only 8,000 metres deep making the earthquake even more devastating. Experts believe that the quake was one of a series of aftershocks from the 1995 earthquake in the same county, which killed 46 people and injured 11,600, according to local officials. Yunnan Province has long been haunted by earthquakes over the past 30 years. Earlier this year the province's Yao'an County suffered an earthquake measuring 5.9 on Richter scale, killing 5 people and injuring hundreds. (Chinadaily) |
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