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China earthquake: Troops join search in Yunnan province | China earthquake: Troops join search in Yunnan province |
(35 minutes later) | |
China has sent 2,500 soldiers to the southwest province of Yunnan after an earthquake killed hundreds of people. | China has sent 2,500 soldiers to the southwest province of Yunnan after an earthquake killed hundreds of people. |
At least 381 people died and more than 1,800 were injured when the magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck on Sunday. | |
Chinese troops with life-detection instruments and digging equipment are on their way to the region to help with rescue efforts. | |
State broadcaster CCTV said the earthquake was the strongest to hit the mountainous province in 14 years. | State broadcaster CCTV said the earthquake was the strongest to hit the mountainous province in 14 years. |
President Xi Jinping called for "all-out efforts" to find survivors as he dispatched soldiers to the area. | President Xi Jinping called for "all-out efforts" to find survivors as he dispatched soldiers to the area. |
They will join more than 300 police and firefighters from Zhaotong and about 400 emergency workers and sniffer dogs from across Yunnan province in the rescue operation. | They will join more than 300 police and firefighters from Zhaotong and about 400 emergency workers and sniffer dogs from across Yunnan province in the rescue operation. |
Premier Li Keqiang was also heading to the area, Xinhua news agency said. | |
Xinhua reported that 12,000 houses had been destroyed and about 30,000 damaged. | |
The government had sent 2,000 tents, 3,000 folding beds, 3,000 quilts and 3,000 coats to the disaster zone, Xinhua said. | |
But rescuers trying to deliver the much-needed supplies are struggling to reach the area, reports the BBC's Celia Hatton in Beijing. | |
Unrelenting rain and persisting landslides have left many roads in the region too damaged to use, she adds. | Unrelenting rain and persisting landslides have left many roads in the region too damaged to use, she adds. |
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre was at a relatively shallow depth of 10km (six miles) below the Zhaotong region, in the north-east of the province. | The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre was at a relatively shallow depth of 10km (six miles) below the Zhaotong region, in the north-east of the province. |
It hit at 16:30 local time (08:30 GMT) on Sunday. | It hit at 16:30 local time (08:30 GMT) on Sunday. |
State television broadcast footage of people fleeing their homes after the earthquake, which knocked out electricity supplies and communication lines in the region. | State television broadcast footage of people fleeing their homes after the earthquake, which knocked out electricity supplies and communication lines in the region. |
"The walls of several buildings crumbled, and water pipes were ruptured," one local resident wrote on Weibo, China's Twitter-like service. | "The walls of several buildings crumbled, and water pipes were ruptured," one local resident wrote on Weibo, China's Twitter-like service. |
Another local told Xinhua that the streets there were like a "battlefield after bombardment", adding that her neighbour's house, a new two-storey building, had collapsed. | Another local told Xinhua that the streets there were like a "battlefield after bombardment", adding that her neighbour's house, a new two-storey building, had collapsed. |
A spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the secretary-general was "saddened by the loss of life" while the White House offered its condolences and said the US "stands ready to assist." | A spokesman for UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the secretary-general was "saddened by the loss of life" while the White House offered its condolences and said the US "stands ready to assist." |
South-west China lies in an area that is prone to earthquakes. | South-west China lies in an area that is prone to earthquakes. |
An earthquake in Sichuan in 2008 killed tens of thousands of people while a magnitude 7.7 quake in Yunnan in 1970 killed at least 15,000. | An earthquake in Sichuan in 2008 killed tens of thousands of people while a magnitude 7.7 quake in Yunnan in 1970 killed at least 15,000. |
Are you in Yunnan or the neighbouring provinces? Have you been affected by the earthquake? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line " Yunnan earthquake". | Are you in Yunnan or the neighbouring provinces? Have you been affected by the earthquake? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line " Yunnan earthquake". |