589 dead as strong quake jolts SW China

Photo by China Youth Daily

Silent tribute

At a quake relief meeting at Longtoushan township, the epicenter of the earthquake, Premier Li and other officials stood in silence for the quake victims.

Casualties

The civil affairs department in Yunnan province said the death toll rose to 398 in the earthquake, with 1801 injured and more than 1.08 million affected.

Flood threat

All the residents affected by the rising water level of a barrier lake of Niulan River in Huize county have been evacuated.

Due to the earthquake, the water level is rising at a speed of 1.1 meters per hour. Rescuers are working to deal with the emergency.

Donation

A number of Chinese enterprises have made donations to the quake-hit zone in Yunnan province, with Li Ka Shing Foundation donating 30 million yuan ($4.85 million), Wanda donating 10 million yuan, Tencent and Alibaba 5 million yuan each and Xunlei 1 million yuan.

The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, said he has prayed for the victims and survivors in the devastating 6.5-magnitude earthquake.

Four children saved

Luo Faming and his wife were picking red peppers in their yard while their four children watched TV inside when the quake occurred.

 

Pictures from the quake-hit Longquan village, Ludian county, Yunan province, Aug 4, 2014. [Photo by Xiao Huilong/Yunan Information Daily]

 

Premier Li arrives in Zhaotong

Premier Li Keqiang has arrived in Zhaotong, Yunnan province. Li pledged for "door-to-door" search in the following two days to rescue the injured and locate the missing on a working conference held on the plane.

Weather

Rains have been forecast in Ludian, Qiaojia, Huize counties for the next three days. Thunder showers are expected in Ludian, Xinhuanet reported. Bad weather is likely to hamper the rescue efforts in the quake-hit zone.

1,080,000 affected

More than 1,080,000 people are affected by the quake, according to the press conference.

Traffic

Torrential rain blocks traffic in quake-hit area, CCTV reports.

Aftershocks

As of 8:00 am on August 4, a total of 411 aftershocks have been detected in the quake-hit Ludian county, Yunan province.

Blood needed

Blood bank in Zhaotong city, Yunan province, has blood for just 200 people, while the number of the injured in the earthquake has increased to more than 1,800, yunnan.cn reported Monday. The center has called for residents to donate more blood for the quake victims.

Reporter's log: Rushing to the disaster zone

At around 4:40 pm I was washing my clothes, as I usually do on the weekend.