At least 118 dead and nearly 200 injured in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in northwest China

At least 118 people have died and another 200 have been injured by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that occurred during the early hours of Tuesday in northwest China and after which some 300 aftershocks have been recorded.

Authorities have reported the death of 105 people in Gansu province, while thirteen fatalities have been recorded in Qinghai province. In addition, there are more than 180 injured and dozens missing.

The earthquake hit Jishishan county, in Gansu province, but five kilometers from the border with Qinghai. The tremor, which was felt in several locations, occurred at a depth of ten kilometers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for maximum search and rescue efforts and to ensure the safety and property of residents in the area, which is located in a high-altitude region where temperatures are in negative numbers.

That is why Xi has stressed the importance of closely monitoring the post-earthquake situation and changes in climate to prevent secondary disasters. As a result of the earthquake, thousands of buildings and infrastructure have suffered damage of varying degrees, causing water, electricity and road outages, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management have allocated 200 million yuan (25 million euros) in natural disaster relief funds to affected provinces. Of this figure, 150 million yuan (19.2 million euros) will be allocated to Gansu, which has been most affected.

Rescue services are carrying out search and rescue work, as well as relocating victims and verifying infrastructure. Authorities have raised the national emergency response level to two.

For her part, the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing Wen, has offered her "willingness to provide necessary assistance", after conveying her concern and condolences to the loved ones of the victims, as reported by the Taiwanese radio station RTI.

"We hope that the post-disaster rescue and recovery work will go smoothly and the local area can return to normal life as soon as possible," presidential office spokesman Lin Yuchan said.