‘Hundreds’ die in China earthquake

Many more people are still trapped and authorities say the death toll is expected to rise.

Homes made of mud and wood have been destroyed and paramilitary police were forced to use shovels to dig through the rubble, as excavators are not available.

The magnitude-6.9 quake struck this morning in an area in the south of Qinghai province, near Tibet, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake was centred on Yushu county, with a population of about 100,000, mostly herders and farmers.

The US Geological Survey registered up to six tremors, with all but one measuring above 5.0.

The China Earthquake Networks Centre measured the largest quake magnitude at 7.1.

Jiegu, a township 20 miles from the epicentre, appears to be one of the worst hit. Fire fighters are trying to rescue 20 students stuck inside a school, according to state television.

Some 40-50 people were trapped in a toppled four-storey building nearby. The provincial emergency office has reported that 700 soldiers were trying to clear rubble and rescue buried people and that over 1,000 more troops will be dispatched.

Some 5,000 tents have been erected and 100,000 thick cotton coats and heavy blankets are being sent to help survivors cope with strong winds and low temperatures, according to the Qinghai provincial government.

At least 18 aftershocks have been reported by the China Earthquake Networks Centre and they warn more will occur in the coming hours.

The earthquake comes just two years after a powerful earthquake with a magnitude-7.9 struck neighbouring Sichuan province that left almost 90,000 people killed or missing.

Officials said that the nearest airport is damaged, making it very difficult to get equipment and rescuers to the scene.

Downed phone lines, strong winds and frequent aftershocks have also hindered the rescue operation.

A Tibetan resident working in the area for a local NGO, Pu Wu said most buildings have collapsed.

He said: “At the moment the government has built a few shelters, but the living and medical conditions are not good. The buildings that have not collapsed are now dangerous to live in.

Lindsey Hilsum writes:
The Sichuan earthquake in May 2008 showed the world how efficient the Chinese government and the People's Liberation Army can be. They swung into action, digging people out of the rubble and establishing shelters for hundreds of thousands left homeless.

This earthquake won't be so devastating, because the area is sparsely populated. But there's an extra issue: the people of Yushu are Tibetan herders who are fiercely loyal to the Dalai Lama.

The Chinese government has stressed through the day how quickly they're getting help to people. Seven hundred soldiers based nearby immediately started to clear rubble and rescue people. Another 5,000 soldiers and medical workers have been dispatched.

Chinese people reacted generously to the Sichuan earthquake, some sending money, others loading up their cars with supplies and driving in themselves. It caused traffic jams and some disorder, but the volunteers were welcomed by earthquake victims.

It'll be different this time. For a start, Yushu is 12 hours drive from Xining, the nearest sizeable city. The temperature drops to freezing at night, and over the next few days, snow, sleet and driving wind are expected. It is 3,000 metres above sea level, a height where many people will get altitude sickness. And the government is worried about people coming into this politically sensitive Tibetan region.

Volunteers trying to get there say that the authorities have already set up roadblocks 80km away from the epicenter to turn away those journalists and aid workers they say don't have proper documents.

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