Earthquake Kills 381, Destroys Thousands of Homes in China

Tags:
2014-08-04

Chinese officials say a powerful earthquake in a remote mountainous region of the country's southwest has killed at least 381 people and collapsed thousands of buildings.

They say more than 1,800 people were injured in Sunday's quake. Rescue workers are searching for many people still missing.

The 6.1 magnitude quake's epicenter was in southwestern Yunnan province. The official Xinhua news agency says the quake destroyed 12,000 homes and damaged another 30,000.

Relief efforts are under way, with Beijing sending tents, water, food and other needed supplies to the region, where rain is forecast for the coming days.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the earthquake was the strongest to hit Yunnan in 14 years.

Southwestern China is frequently struck by earthquakes. In 2012 an earthquake in the Yunnan region killed at least 80 people.

Source: Voice of America

  • 311 reads