- A 6.5 magnitude earthquake jolted China’s Jiuzhaigou late on 8 August
- 175 people are believed to be injured in the quake
- Another earthquake of 6.6 magnitude hit northwest China’s Xinjiang on the morning of 9 August
Death Toll Rises to 23
The death toll from an earthquake that scarred a scenic region of southwest China's Sichuan province rose to 23 on as authorities found three more bodies.
The Aba prefecture emergency response office said in a statement that the bodies were found inside a bus in a river valley in Zhangzha. It did not give more details about what had happened to the vehicle.
The statement said at least 493 were injured in Tuesday's 6.5-magnitude earthquake, which struck Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination with a national park, forested mountains and over 140 lakes that has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Another Earthquake Of Magnitude 6.6 Hits Northwest China's Xinjiang
Tuesday night's earthquake of 6.6 magnitude in Sichuan province China killed at least 19 people and injured 175. It also knocked out power and phone networks, complicating efforts to find survivors.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for rapid efforts to respond to the disaster that struck a quake-prone region bordered by Sichuan and Gansu province. The area is populated largely by Tibetans and lies close to Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations that attracts visitors from China and overseas.
China's National Commission for Disaster Reduction Suggests Death Toll Over 100
While five people have died and over 60 have been injured in Tuesday’s earthquake, as per the official Xinhua agency, China’s National Commission for Disaster Reduction has allegedly estimated that nearly 100 people may have died, as cited in a report by AFP.
The commission also stated on its website that over 1,30,000 houses may be destroyed, as per a report by AFP.
Over 100 Aftershocks Registered: Chinese Media
More than a hundred aftershocks were registered following the earthquake in Jiuzhaigou county, of Sichuan Province, reported China’s Xinhua News.
Houses have collapsed or cracked due to the earthquake.
Chinese officials are reportedly inspecting the high-speed rail network.