One of China’s most potent earthquakes in recent times has resulted in the death of at least 149 people in a remote northwestern region, according to state media. The magnitude 6.2 temblor struck a week ago, with the epicenter spanning the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai, particularly impacting the Hui people, a closely-knit ethnic minority known for its distinctive Muslim identity.
Gansu suffered the greatest devastation, with over 200,000 homes destroyed and 15,000 on the verge of collapse. The quake displaced 145,000 people, claiming 117 lives in the province and leaving 781 wounded as of December 22.
In Qinghai, west of Gansu, 32 people lost their lives, and two remained missing as of 11 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Sunday, according to state media reports.
Local authorities attribute the severity of the damage to the shallowness of the quake, coupled with the thrust-type rupture and the relatively soft sedimentary rock in the region, which amplified the tremors’ destructive power.
Many of the affected homes were older structures made of earth-wood or brick-wood, with load-bearing walls constructed from earth, making them poorly resistant to earthquakes, officials said. The tragedy underscores the pressing need to enhance earthquake resilience in rural homes.
Earthquakes are common in provinces on the northeastern boundary of the tectonically active Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, including Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, parts of Xinjiang, and the rugged highlands in the west of Sichuan.
This recent earthquake serves as a somber reminder of the vulnerability of certain regions to seismic events, prompting calls for improved infrastructure resilience and disaster preparedness.
