Survivors of a deadly earthquake in China are grappling with the fear of aftershocks as they huddle in temporary tents amid sub-zero temperatures.
The earthquake, which struck a minute before midnight on Monday near the border of Gansu and Qinghai provinces, has left a dozen people missing and 137 dead.
The 6.2-magnitude quake affected a remote, mountainous area. As the cold winter months loom, survivors face the daunting prospect of living without permanent shelter. Mo Xiaoxia, staying in a makeshift shelter, shared her anxiety: “It was warm inside the tent we set up yesterday, but sleeping was uneasy. We were quite frightened, constantly worrying about being woken up by another quake.”
Ye Zhiying, another survivor, highlighted the shelter crisis: “Currently, only 35 to 40 percent of people have tents. The village is distributing what they have, but it’s uncertain if everyone will receive accommodation.”
The quake has devastated more than 207,000 homes in Gansu, with nearly 15,000 collapsing and affecting over 145,000 people. Many of the affected are Hui, an ethnic minority predominantly residing in western Chinese provinces.
