Survivors found in rubble from China earthquake

World Today

Rescue workers search for survivors amongst the remains of collapsed buildings in the epicenter of an earthquake that struck the town of Longtoushan in Ludian county in southwest China’s Yunnan province on Monday, Aug. 4, 2014. (AP Photo)

Rescuers found scores of survivors on Monday as they dug through homes shattered by an earthquake in southern China that killed at least 398 people and injured more than 1,800.

More than 420 aftershocks have been recorded. Rainstorms are expected to continue to hinder rescue efforts over the coming days.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reached the worst-hit area to oversee quake relief. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for intensified rescue efforts. Xi also stressed efforts to relocate people, and handle relief work. He urged local departments to monitor seismic activity and avoid secondary disasters.

About 12,000 homes collapsed when the quake struck Sunday afternoon in impoverished Ludian county, around 370 kilometers (230 miles) northeast of Yunnan province’s capital, Kunming. The magnitude-6.1 quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. China’s earthquake monitoring agency put the magnitude at 6.5.

Rescuers digging in the debris by hand freed a 5-year-old boy whose legs were injured. Firefighters also rescued 32 people who had been trapped, yet also found the bodies of 43 residents.

Medics reported severe shortages of medicine and an inability to perform operations on the severely injured, while rescuers said their work had been hampered by continuous downpours and quake-triggered landslides.

An aerial view of the town worst hit by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in southwest China’s Yunnan Province has shown the extent of the devastation and it provided valuable information for the ongoing rescue operation.

Drone video of earthquake site

An aerial view of the town worst hit by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in southwest China's Yunnan Province has shown the extent of the devastation and it provided valuable information for the ongoing rescue operation.

The footage of Longtoushan Town was shot on Monday morning by a drone operated by the communication detachment of an army reserve division in Yunnan.

As shown by the video footage, Longtoushan Town, located at the quake’s epicenter, is situated in a narrow strip of land.

About 90 percent of the houses in the town have collapsed, and the search and rescue operation was seen underway.

Sunday’s earthquake lasted about 15 seconds.

This video shows a quick recap of the major events since the earthquake struck Yunnan on Sunday.

Report compiled with information from The Associated Press and CCTV News