Rescue Operation in Gansu Earthquake Wrapping Up with More Than 130 Lives Lost

Rescue operations in China's north-west after a major earthquake are winding down, with efforts shifting towards treating the injured and supporting those who lost their homes. The 6.2 magnitude quake struck Gansu province, causing nearly 1,000 injuries and damaging thousands of buildings in remote mountain villages. Harsh sub-zero temperatures are posing additional challenges for the rescue teams, with temperatures dropping to -13C (-8.7F). Some areas have also been hit by mudslides and landslides triggered by the quake. Several villages have been split into half and buildings have collapsed. Survivors described the tremors as feeling like being tossed by surging waves and recalled the urgency of fleeing their homes. President Xi Jinping mobilized thousands of personnel to help with the rescue efforts in the region, which is both diverse and poor. Gansu is located between the Tibetan and Loess plateaus and borders Mongolia. The epicentre of the earthquake was in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, home to numerous Chinese Muslim groups. Chinese authorities reported a magnitude of 6.2, while the US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude of 5.9. A series of smaller aftershocks followed the initial quake, and officials have warned of more tremors in the coming days. With limited time to rescue people in the freezing conditions, rescue teams are bracing themselves for a rise in casualties as they continue to search and dig deeper into the rubble. China's geographical location makes it particularly susceptible to earthquakes, with numerous tectonic plates in the region. The most devastating recent earthquake in China occurred in Sichuan province in 2008, where 87,000 people lost their lives. The government has called for all efforts to be made to minimize casualties and attend to the injured promptly.