The death toll from Monday’s earthquake in southwestern China has risen to 82. Previously, 74 were said to have died. State media reported Thursday that at least 270 people were injured and 35 are still missing. The Chinese province of Sichuan and in particular the Luding region were badly hit.
A large-scale rescue operation involving thousands of people has been going on for days and the army has also been called in. The quake destroyed many buildings and caused serious damage to infrastructure. The earthquake also triggered landslides blocking streets.
Sichuan is located on the edge of two continental plates that slide over each other. Earthquakes are common. One with a magnitude of 7.9 was measured in 2008 and killed more than 80,000 people. The province is currently also plagued by prolonged drought, energy shortages and corona.