At Least 186 Dead in Lushan Earthquake in Western Sichuan Province

(from cntv.cn)

In South China’s Sichuan province, a magnitude-7 earthquake has caused heavy casualties. Now 40 hours– more than half of the 72-hour golden period has passed. The rescue work is ongoing.




According to the Sichuan Provincial Government Emergency Management Office, 186 people have been killed. 24 people are reported still missing. Nearly 12,000 people have been injured, with about 1,000 people reported to be seriously injured. In total, about 1.5 million people have been affected by the quake. By 10 pm Sunday Beijing time, 1,756 aftershocks had been reported.

The road linking Baoxing County and Linguan, a main township in Baoxing, remains blocked. Work to clear the road is underway. Police rescue teams have been deployed in all areas of Lushan County, the epicenter of the quake.

According to China’s Earthquake Networks Center, the earthquake hit Lushan County of Ya’an City just after 8am on Saturday, Beijing time.