Chinese premier visits quake site as rain hampers rescue

Premier Li Keqiang urged thousands of soldiers digging for survivors in southwestern China where an earthquake killed hundreds of people to "spare no effort", as heavy rains hampered the rescue.

At least 398 people were killed and more than 1,800 injured when the magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Yunnan province on Sunday, the strongest tremor to hit the mountainous area in 14 years.

On social media such as WeChat and Weibo, there were numerous photographs showing rescuers clambering over wrecked buildings and of injured residents in the rubble.

They searched with torches in heavy rain, and telecommunications in the area were patchy at best.

Don’t stop!

“Saving one more person means saving the happiness of a whole family,” Mr Li told soldiers after arriving at the earthquake zone. “Saving lives is the top priority. Don’t stop! Spare no effort!”

At least 12,000 houses were reportedly destroyed in the earthquake, with another 30,000 damaged. The area is mountainous and heavily populated, and prone to earthquakes.

More than 300 police and firefighters from the Zhaotong area, as well as 400 emergency workers and sniffer dogs from across Yunnan province, took part in the rescue operation.

Attempts to reach the epicentre of the earthquake in Ludian county, which has a population of about 429,000, have been slowed down by heavy rain, with some rescuers forced to travel on foot.

Mr Li himself had to walk over 5km over tough terrain to get to Longquan, the most severely hit village in the quake.

“We can never give up until the last minute,” he said. “We must ensure people have access to food, clothes, safe dwelling places and clean water.”

En route to the disaster zone, Mr Li told senior cadres, and military officials from the People’s Liberation Army that any rescue must take place “without delay”.

His exhortations are reminiscent of those of his predecessor as premier, Wen Jiabao, who made a similarly high profile visit to the site of the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, which left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing.

Mr Li urged rescuers to be wary of secondary disasters such as landslides, and to be careful of aftershocks.

Xinhua reporters in Ludian reported seeing “drenched survivors sitting along the muddy roads waiting for food and medication. Some half-naked survivors were quivering in the rain”.

Electricity down

Xinhua said many of the homes toppled in Ludian were old and made of brick, adding that electricity and telecommunications were cut off in the county.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon offered his “condolences to the Chinese government and the families of those killed.” He added that the UN was ready to help “to respond to humanitarian needs” and “to mobilise any international support needed”.