Earthquakes Destroy or Damage Thousands of Homes in NE China

Quakes injure a dozen people, but cause much devastation in Jilin Province, NE China

Two moderate earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 5.5 and 5.0 respectively, struck Songyuan City in NE China’s Jillin Province Thursday morning local time, destroying at least 55 homes and damaging more than 4,100 others, said a report.

The larger of the two quakes was centered at 44.6ºN, 124.2ºE, according to the country’s Earthquake Networks Center.

Local officials have relocated more than 14,400 residents in Chaganhua Town, the report said.

“Telecommunications have been cut off in Dongbaiyinhua Village, located at the quake’s epicenter, according to an officer from Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County.”

The cost of damage and associated economic losses have been estimated at about 130 million yuan ($21.33 million).

Original Caption: Rescuers set up tents at a temporary shelter in quake-hit Qian’an County of Songyuan City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Nov. 1, 2013. Two earthquakes, 5.5-magnitude and 5.0-magnitude respectively, jolted Songyuan City of Jilin Province Thursday morning, leaving at least 12 people injured and many houses damaged. The Jilin provincial government has allotted 10 million yuan (about 1.6 million U.S. dollars) in disaster relief funds to the quake-hit region. Relief teams have also been sent there. A shipment of 1,100 tents, 1,000 quilts and 100 folding beds has been sent to the area. Bottled water, bread and instant noodles are being given out to quake victims.(Xinhua/Zhang Nan). More images…