14 DAY TRIAL // A 6.6 magnitude earthquake has hit Northwestern China, in Gansu Province causing at least 56 deaths.
297 people were injured according to the last toll relayed by The Hindu. The earthquake hit Minxian and Zhangxian counties, and the epicenter was located in Dingxi City.
It was felt on Sunday, July 21 at 7:45 am, in the counties that were previously affected by torrential rain and flooding. Officials have assessed a strong risk of landslides in the area.
“Heavy rain is forecast in the disaster-hit area, which is likely to affect rescue and relief efforts and pose dangers of landslides,” a rep for the International Red Cross said in a statement.
Most of the casualties occurred in Minxian county, while 5,600 houses incurred damages in Zhangxian county. Minxian county also registered damages to roughly 380 homes.
[Update July 22, 2013]: The death toll has increased from 47 to 56 in the Gansu province, according to South China Morning Post.