At least 22 killed, 270 seriously injured in Gansu quake
甘肃省发生6.6级地震 已有数十人死亡
A 6.6-magnitude earthquake has hit Gansu Province in Northwest China, killing at least 22 people and injuring 296 others.The quake was centered on Dingxi City, about 170 kilometers east of the provincial capital, Lanzhou. It struck at a quarter to eight this morning Beijing time at a depth of twenty kilometers. Local people say the tremor lasted about 1 minute. It was felt over 200 kilometers away in neighboring Sichuan Province.
A 5.6-magnitude aftershock hit about one and half hours later. Homes have been toppled, and power and communication cut in some areas. Authorities have sent more than 300 people to help in rescue efforts. China’s Earthquake Administration and Civil Affairs Ministry have both activated an emergency response and sent out work teams. The Gansu Provincial government has also dispatched a team of geologists. Dingxi City has a population of about 2.7 million. The area is prone to earthquakes.