Beijing, Apr 20 (Xinhua-ANI): Seventy-one people were killed in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the China Earthquake Administration.
The earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an City in the province at 8:02 a.m. Saturday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
More than 1,000 were injured in the earthquake, according to a statement from the Lushan county publicity department at noon Saturday.
The water and electricity supply in the county has been cut off due to the quake. Most of the buildings in the old urban area of Lushan county and Longmen township collapsed in the quake, according to the statement.
Landslides have blocked traffic in many places across the county and two barrier lakes caused by the landslides are posing risks for the rescue efforts, it said.
About 2,000 rescuers organized by the county government are working in nine towns, it said.
Bifeng Gorge base, a panda research base affiliated to the Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center which is only 47 km from the epicenter, has no reports of human or panda casualties, said Yu Xiaoying, a staff member with the Wolong center.Vehicles damaged by rolling rocks were seen in the county. Houses along a street in the Lushan county seat have also collapsed. Helicopters are hovering, according to Xinhua reporters at the scene.
Patients are receiving medical treatment on the ground in front of the Lushan County Hospital.
More than 500 people are injured, 135 seriously, said Le Zhiyong, deputy head of the hospital. (Xinhua-ANI)
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