(RepublicanPress.org) – According to Statista, there have been between 1,433 and 2,481 annual earthquakes reaching a magnitude of five or above around the globe between 2000 and the present day. In 2023 alone, the data-gathering organization noted there were 1,712 such earthquakes. The US Geological Survey reported the most active year was 2010, with 23 earthquakes measuring 7.0 or above on the Richter scale. Mother Nature recently struck again in China, claiming more than 100 lives and leaving hundreds of others injured and homeless.
What Happened?
On December 18, the New York Post reported that a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit a mountainous region in northwestern China. Provincial officials said it was the deadliest earthquake to hit the area in the past 10 years. The event happened overnight, killing over 130 people and injuring more than 700 others. Hundreds of people in the Gansu province searched for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings and debris. Subsequent mudslides in a nearby province, Qinghai, resulted in 20 people going missing.
The earthquake itself took out houses, power, and roads, making the search and rescue effort tedious and difficult. According to the Post, the US Geological Survey listed the quake as a 5.9 magnitude — still a significant and destructive force — while also noting several aftershocks in the region. Apparently, people 60 miles away from the quake’s epicenter could feel the event.
Another element making recovery efforts difficult is the weather and terrain. NPR reported that the average temperature during search and rescue efforts was around 14 degrees Fahrenheit, freezing the roads in and around the area.
Other Events and Commentary
NPR stated another 5.5 magnitude earthquake that hit 10 hours after the first. This event happened west of the first quake in the Xinjiang region near the China/Kyrgyzstan border. Luckily, that one hit a remote area, so no injuries were reported.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping responded to the first event, calling for search and rescue efforts to begin. He also encouraged quick delivery of relief and repair materials to the area because of the cold.
Many have been left out in the cold because their homes are destroyed, and they have no other place to go. Resident Ma Dongdong reportedly told the Associated Press that he and his family went to a shelter with about 700 other people who were still waiting for blankets and warm clothes.
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