Chinese quake victims rescued in freezing weather

Bangkok Post Group

Rescuers pulled to safety victims of an earthquake that rocked a remote area in China's northwestern Gansu province more than a day earlier, while survivors faced months of uncertainty ahead without permanent shelter. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Braving freezing conditions, rescuers pulled victims to safety after a deadly earthquake

00:07 rocked parts of China's Gansu province a day earlier.

00:12 While survivors faced months of uncertainty ahead without permanent shelter.

00:17 The magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolted the northwestern region minutes before midnight on Monday,

00:23 sending terrified residents out into the cold at the dead of night.

00:28 Over 130 people died and hundreds were injured in the quake.

00:33 And when rescue operations ended on Tuesday, almost 80 people had been retrieved from rubble.

00:39 In Gansu, more than 207,000 homes were wrecked and nearly 15,000 homes collapsed, affecting

00:46 more than 145,000 people.

00:51 And in the neighboring Qinghai province, households in 22 towns and villages were affected.

00:57 This family was one of many.

01:03 My parents were pulled out from underneath this, but I don't know how.

01:07 Anyway, we ran to wherever we could.

01:13 Immediately the power went out.

01:15 There was nothing in sight.

01:16 I panicked.

01:17 I called out for my son, called my son's name, and there was no response.

01:26 And my daughter, she was buried under there.

01:29 I had nothing on and ran towards there.

01:31 I called out for my daughter.

01:33 My daughter responded.

01:34 I said, "Take mommy's hand, grab it and come out quickly."

01:37 And my husband and I dug her out.

01:43 My parents who lived over there also managed to escape.

01:46 Our whole family is fine, but our houses are gone.

01:50 The family of seven said they'd slept exposed to the freezing cold elements and hadn't eaten

01:55 in the past two days.

01:57 However, efforts are underway to get relief to the earthquake victims, with volunteers

02:01 stepping in.

02:02 We are from a nearby construction team and spontaneously came here to volunteer in rescue

02:11 efforts.

02:12 We also have colleagues who are participating in the rescue.

02:15 Currently we're moving some relief supplies such as food, tents, beds, blankets and such.

02:20 Whatever they need, we'll help transport it for displaced residents to use.

02:25 In the quake-hit region, it's not only houses but infrastructure that has been severely

02:29 damaged, including roads, power and water lines, as well as agricultural production

02:33 facilities and triggering land and mudslides.

02:38 Recovering from Monday night's earthquake has been further challenged by the powerful

02:42 cold snap that has gripped most of China since last week.

02:46 Temperatures around the quake epicentre in Gansu fell to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit on

02:51 Tuesday night.

02:53 According to local media, citing researchers, people trapped under rubble exposed to conditions

02:58 of 14 degrees Fahrenheit without help could develop hypothermia and may only be able to

03:04 live for five to ten hours if uninjured.

03:08 The freezing cold was not the only concern weighing on rescuers.

03:12 The Gansu Provincial Seismological Bureau said through comprehensive analysis, strong

03:18 aftershocks of magnitude 5 were still possible around the area in the coming days.

03:23 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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