The 8-degree devastating earthquake on the Richter scale in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province on May 12 drastically affected 52 counties, cities and districts of 10 municipal cities and autonomous prefectures in Gansu Province. Among the stricken area Longnan, Gannan, Tianshui, Pingliang, Qingyang, Dingxi and some other cities had a very strong vibration and suffered somewhat different losses, especially in Longnan there were some big destruction. Thus Gansu became the second biggest seism-stricken area next to Sichuan Province.
Till now the death toll of the earthquake in Gansu is 365 and another 7560 people are injured. Among them there are 330 deaths, 5381 people injured and 22 are missing from Longnan as an aftermath of the seism.
According to preliminary counting, 518,200 houses were toppled down and 1.4413 million houses damaged in the earthquake including 840,000 dangerous houses. 1.564 million people need to urgently move to and settle down in safe places from the quake-hit areas. Meanwhile, 130,000 big and small livestock died in destruction.
6540 schools were damaged by the earthquake, 6753 classrooms toppled, and 78700 classrooms were seriously destructed. The primary and middle schools in seriously-stricken areas such as Wudu, Wenxian, etc. completely suspended classes for a time. In the meantime, many hospital wards became dangerous, patients and wounded people had to be treated in simple sheds put up temporarily.
9 main national highways, 24 provincial highways, 21 county roads, 71 countryside roads and 1074 village roads were damaged and cut off; many electric networks were out of work; 562 communication stations, 14 small reservoirs and 41 hydroelectric stations were damaged. In Longnan, roads are cut off and there is no electricity, telephone or water supply.
(From Editorial Department of Gansu Provincial People's Government's Website ) |
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