At least 127 people were killed and 700 others were injured in what has become China’s deadliest earthquake in nine years.
The 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Gansu and Qinghai provinces in northwestern China. After the quake, residents were forced out of their homes to spend the night in freezing temperatures amid a series of aftershocks.
First responders erected tents to shelter those who lost their homes, and images show people crowding around outdoor fires for warmth.
Rescuers are still searching through the rubble, but the quake currently stands as the most deadly in the country since 2014, when 617 people died in a southern China earthquake.
China has undergone extensive efforts to develop infrastructure that can withstand large earthquakes. The country suffered a horrific 90,000 deaths when a massive 7.9 magnitude quake struck the Sichuan province in 2008.
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At least 4,000 firefighters, soldiers and police officers have been dispatched in the Tuesday rescue effort, and the People’s Liberation Army Western Theatre set up a command post to direct its work.
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A video posted by the Ministry of Emergency Management showed emergency workers in orange uniforms using rods to try to move heavy pieces of what looked like concrete debris at night. Other nighttime videos distributed by state media showed workers lifting out a victim and helping a slightly stumbling person to walk in an area covered with light snow.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
