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China quake: Dozens die and hundreds hurt in Sichuan | China quake: Dozens die and hundreds hurt in Sichuan |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured in a powerful earthquake in rural areas of China's south-western province of Sichuan. | |
The 6.6-magnitude quake wrecked buildings and cut power in Lushan county, and officials say an initial death toll of 56 is likely to rise. | |
Rescuers are struggling to get through to the worst-affected areas because of aftershocks and landslides. | |
Tens of thousands were killed in a quake that hit Sichuan in 2008. | |
The latest quake, initially reported as of 7.0 magnitude, struck at 08:02 local time (00:02 GMT). | |
Its epicentre was in a rural area some 115km (71 miles) west of provincial capital Chengdu, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). | |
State broadcaster CCTV showed images of injured people being taken to hospital in Lushan. | |
One injured man told the channel: "We still live in our old house, the new one is not ready yet. Our house just collapsed. Everything collapsed." | |
The quake was measured at 12km below the surface, a shallow depth that usually indicates extensive damage. | |
Aerial shots of Lushan showed buildings collapsed or without roofs. | |
Power has been lost in the area, water supplies have been cut and telephone lines are also down. | |
People in Chengdu felt the tremor and came running into the streets wrapped in blankets. | |
Chengdu resident Aaron Ozment told the BBC there was huge confusion in the city. | |
"I threw on a some clothes quickly and made my way into the courtyard of my complex," he said. | |
"Making calls was almost impossible; everybody was trying to contact everybody they knew." | |
Residents in the nearest city to the epicentre, Ya'an, felt jolts from the quake and aftershocks, but the city does not appear to have suffered major damage. | |
State news agency Xinhua said 2,000 soldiers had been despatched to help with rescue efforts. | |
Premier Li Keqiang is travelling to Sichuan to oversee the operation. | |
"The current most urgent issue is grasping the first 24 hours since the quake's occurrence, the golden time for saving lives," Mr Li was quoted as saying by Xinhua. | |
The 2008 disaster in Sichuan left five million people homeless. | The 2008 disaster in Sichuan left five million people homeless. |