Buildings Shake, Walls Collapse: The Moment Strong Earthquake Struck China

At least 111 people were killed after powerful earthquakes hit two separate provinces in China on Monday. The earthquakes have left a trail of destruction in their wake, prompting emergency teams to sift through rubble to rescue those trapped.

A video capturing the exact moment of one of the earthquake’s impacts has surfaced online, revealing the terrifying force that shook buildings and homes across the affected region. The tremors were reportedly felt in major cities of Gansu province such as Xi’an and Chengdu.

#UPDATE: Video captured the moment when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in NW China’s Gansu on Monday night. The quake can be felt in major cities like Xi’an and Chengdu. pic.twitter.com/CrDeQBbnyO

— People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) December 18, 2023

The video shows buildings shaking, rubble falling and people immediately rushing out of buildings. The aftermath of the quake was marked by collapsed houses, shattered infrastructure, and a surge of panic that sent residents fleeing to the safety of the streets.

China’s President Xi Jinping has issued a call for “all-out efforts” in the search, relief work, and safeguarding of the survivors and their belongings.

Power and water supplies were disrupted in some local villages, Xinhua said.

CCTV showed images of emergency vehicles driving towards the scene with their lights flashing along snow-lined highways.

Rescue workers dressed in overalls were pictured shoulder-to-shoulder in the trucks, while other images showed them lining up in ranks to receive instructions.

Other clips showed emergency personnel going through debris by torchlight, unfolding orange stretchers for the casualties.

Temperatures have plunged to well below freezing across northern China, and footage from one of the worst-hit areas on CCTV showed residents warming themselves by a fire while emergency services set up tents.