Shattered - An earthquake shook the province of Qinghai, China, Wednesday (14 / 4), resulting in an estimated 400 people died and about 10,000 houses were destroyed. (AP)
Thursday, April 15, 2010 BEIJING (AFP): A series of high magnitude earthquake occurred in the territory of Tibet, west China, killing at least 400 people and injuring thousands of others, Wednesday. A number of houses not only collapsed, but also hit a tree and covered in mud which caused many residents trapped inside.

    Paramilitary police tried hard to save people using shovels improvise on the ruins of houses in the province of Qinghai where almost all houses flattened, like that broadcast over national television.

    Local officials also said that heavy equipment can not be imported into this area because all the roads and the nearest airport which is very badly damaged. Rescue teams and equipment are imported also have difficulty reaching the area.

    "The breakdown in telephone networks, the wind, and the aftershocks that continue to occur also hinder the process of recovery," said Wu Yong, one local military officials.

    Rescue teams tried hard to launch water reservoirs because the quake has made cracks in several places in order to avoid this disaster areas from flooding.

    Team U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale (SR) occurs at the Wednesday breakfast in southern Qinghai province, not too far from Tibet. The quake's epicenter was in the Yushu area with a population of 100,000 people. Most of the population are farmers and pastoralists.

    The USGS also recorded an aftershock occurred six times in the next three hours and it's all over the 5.0 SR. China Earthquake Network Center terdahsyat recorded earthquake in the region reached 7.1 SR.

    "This powerful earthquake forced the residents out of the house and soon witnessed a process of houses collapsed and flattened up covered in mud and the falling trees," said Nyima Karsum, Deputy Head of television stations in Yushu, who spoke by telephone with CCTV.

    "In an instant, their houses collapsed. This remarkable earthquake. In a city park there is the Buddhist pagodas and now head of the Buddha had fallen and smashed. Residents poured into the street and stood in front of their house. They are also trying to find their relatives, "he said.

    The death toll reached 400 people on Wednesday afternoon, according to published CCTV. Pubucairen medical officer, said the injured also continue to grow and now numbers more than 10,000 people.

    According to existing data, this region is frequently rocked by earthquakes in the last two years after an earthquake measuring 7.9 Richter rocked the Sichuan province and caused nearly 90,000 people dead and missing.

    This time the quake was very powerful and leveling homes, schools and other buildings and killed thousands of children who are learning. Fragility of building design and construction of less kukuhnya and lack of knowledge about building safe from earthquakes make this time of disaster victims ask for very much.

    Jiegu, a city located 30 kilometers from the epicenter, also became one of the towns worst affected by the earthquake. Local firefighters trying to save 29 students trapped in school buildings. This is based on the statement Zifu Kang, rescue team leader, told a national television station. They also tried to pull out 40 to 50 people trapped inside the four-story building. However, there is no mention of what schools are collapsing.

    More than 85 percent of homes collapsed in Jiegu, several buildings with large cracks in the walls are still able to stand upright. This is based on reports Xinhua, China's official news agency. "The streets are filled with residents who Jiegu panic and get hurt. They do not know where else to go in a situation like this," said Zhuohuaxia, one local official.