Earthquake kills more than 100 in north-west China
BBC NewsDec 30, 2023
The Facts
At least 131 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in a (PRC-reported) 6.2-magnitude earthquake in northwestern China late Monday. Authorities say that infrastructure such as electricity, water, and transportation systems were damaged.
The earthquake hit close to midnight (local time) on Monday, in the Gansu province near the border with Qinghai — causing significant damage to both provinces. The epicenter of the quake struck in a remote mountainous region that is one of the poorest areas of China; the quake triggered landslides leading to an entire village being partially buried in silt.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
Poor construction and a lack of resources set this remote region of China up for disaster. Unfortunately, many of the buildings in the area were not built to withstand earthquakes. As a consequence, the response and road to recovery will be extremely challenging.
Pro-China narrative
The PRC government is going all out in its rescue efforts following this disastrous earthquake. China has developed state-of-the-art disaster relief systems including highly-trained personnel and vital equipment. This is a tragedy that is being addressed by the full weight of these robust capabilities.
