China’s Earthquake Survivors Grapple with Grief and Cold in Remote Mountains

Amidst the wreckage caused by the recent earthquake in northwest China, survivors are grappling with frigid temperatures and mourning the loss of their homes and loved ones. The earthquake, which struck in a poor, rural area on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, has claimed at least 135 lives and left over 900 injured.

Many of the casualties occurred in Gansu province, where nearly 15,000 homes collapsed, and residents now face the challenge of rebuilding their lives. The quake’s shallow depth and the lower quality of construction in the impoverished region have been cited as factors contributing to the high toll.

Temporary shelters have been set up, with villagers struggling to stay warm and find enough to eat in the harsh conditions. The affected area is about 1,300 kilometers southwest of Beijing, and the death toll marks the highest from an earthquake in China in nine years.