A SEARCH and rescue operation is fully underway in northwestern China after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the high-altitude province of Qinghai, leaving at least one person dead and four others injured.
The seismic event struck the prefecture of Haixi at a shallow depth of ten kilometres at five point six minutes past five in the evening Beijing time on Tuesday, according to official data released by the China Earthquake Networks Centre.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that some three hundred and twenty emergency personnel have been rapidly deployed to the high-altitude zone by authorities to lead the search for potential survivors who may remain trapped in the rugged terrain.
State broadcaster CCTV confirmed that all industrial workers at coal mines operating within the immediate vicinity of the epicentre were successfully evacuated as a precautionary measure shortly after the initial shock wave.
The primary earthquake triggered substantial seismic volatility across the region, followed by over a dozen subsequent aftershocks, including a significant tremor measuring a magnitude of four point nine.
Despite the intensity of the earthquake, baseline infrastructure within the immediate vicinity of the disaster zone managed to withstand the initial impact. Initial checks showed transport, communication, water and power lines within fifty kilometres of the epicentre were operating normally, the local newspaper Qinghai Daily reported late on Tuesday evening.
In response to the displacement of local residents, provincial authorities have dispatched emergency tents, beds, and blankets to the affected settlements, while coordinating with corporate entities and charitable organisations to secure immediate food and water supplies for the stricken population. - June 17, 2026
