Heavy rain and mudslides hamper China earthquake rescue mission

BEIJING (Reuters) – Rain, floods and mudslides threatened to search for dozens of people still missing on Thursday, days after a powerful earthquake struck a mountainous region of southwest China, killing at least 86 people.

The 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck 43 kilometers (26 miles) southeast of Kangding city in Sichuan province at a depth of 10 kilometers on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey, forcing thousands to resettle in temporary camps.

The state-run People’s Daily said 50 people died in Ganzi county near the epicenter, while 36 deaths were reported in the neighboring city of Yan.

State Broadcasting Corporation (CCTV) reported that about 270 others were injured while the number of missing remained at 35, without giving further details about the conditions of those who lost their fate.

The National Weather Service’s yellow alert – a warning of “risk of geological disaster” – was in effect through Thursday night, and moderate rain was expected to continue into Friday with heavy rains in some areas.

“Since the geological conditions after the earthquake are inherently fragile, and the effect of additional precipitation may lead to landslides and mudslides, the local area needs to beware of secondary disasters,” the China Meteorological Administration said.

The People’s Liberation Army, paramilitary police and fire rescue services dispatched more than 10,000 workers, who continued their search and landslide clean-up efforts in the remote countryside.

mountain torrents

Rescue workers braved floods and landslides caused by aftershocks to move villagers from their destroyed homes, often having to haul them across mountainous terrain on ropes and stretchers.

Closed-circuit television images showed soldiers in orange uniforms and life jackets using a zip line to ferry people across the rapids.

“We also waded into the water to reach Xingfu Village. The mountain torrents contain rocks… Stones that you can’t see in the water are our biggest threat,” a member of the rescue team, Tan Ke, told CCTV.

“We used ropes quickly to build a human ladder… When we started wading, the water reached our knees and thighs. By the time we got to safety, the sudden flood had reached waist level.”

People’s Daily reported that so far, more than 22,000 people have been relocated to 124 temporary sites across Ganzi and Ya’an.

More than 21,000 students and school staff in Shimian County, where Yan is located, were safely evacuated within one minute of the quake, the newspaper said.

It added that nearly 1,800 schools in the area had reopened by Wednesday.

Workers raced to repair hundreds of kilometers of electrical and optical cable, with communications “restored” in affected areas from Thursday, the China Youth Daily reported.

The report said local authorities have received more than 100 million yuan ($14 million) in disaster relief donations so far, and the Sichuan government has issued an emergency notice asking local authorities to disburse hardship allowances to the affected people.

Residents told AFP that the quake also shook buildings in the provincial capital Chengdu – where millions are languishing in their homes under a strict COVID-19 ban – and in the nearby major city of Chongqing. – France Press agency

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos