Li arrives at Yunnan for quake relief

By Zhao Yinan in Zhaotong, Yunnan (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2014-08-04 12:03

Premier Li Keqiang has arrived in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, on Aug 4 after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China’s city on Sunday. [Photo/weibo.com/ynxxb]

Premier Li Keqiang has arrived in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China’s city on Sunday, killing at least 381 people and injuring 1,801 others.

key Points

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China's Yunnan province at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

The epicenter is in Longtoushan Township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, in Zhaotong city.

More than 12,000 houses have been toppled and 30,000 damaged in the quake zone.

At least 381 people dead and 1,801 injured

Many of the homes that collapsed in Ludian, which has a population of about 429,000, were old and made of brick.

More than 2,500 troops dispatched to the disaster region.

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.

“We have to grab every opportunity of rescue to reduce the casualty...We must put people’s lives at the first place,” Li said.

Live: 381 dead as strong quake rocks SW China