More than 100 people were killed and thousands injured after a strong quake struck southwest China's Sichuan Province Saturday morning, triggering massive rescue efforts.
The 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an City in the province at 8:02 a.m. Saturday Beijing Time. At least 113 people were killed, according to the China Earthquake Administration on Saturday afternoon.
More than 2,500 people were injured with 200 severely hurt, according to a statement from the Lushan county publicity department at Saturday noon, adding that about 140,000 people will have to be relocated.
The epicenter of the quake, with a depth of 13 km, was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude. It is one of the most destructive earthqukes in China in recent years. A 8.0-magnitude quake in Wenchuan county in Sichuan Province left 87,000 dead or missing in May 12, 2008.
Ya'an has a population of 1.53 million and is known as the hometown of the giant panda. It is about 140 kilometers away from the provincial capital Chengdu and about 250 km from Wenchuan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday ordered troops in the quake-hit zone to make "every possible effort" to rescue.
The troops must be quickly dispatched to the front line of the quake-relief work to rescue residents and treat the injured in every possible way, Xi said.
Premier Li Keqiang arrived at the epicenter Saturday afternoon. He convened emergency meetings during his flight to direct quake-relief work.
"The current most urgent issue is grasping the first 24 hours after the quake's occurrence, the golden time for saving lives, to take scientific rescue measures and save peoples' lives," Li said.
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