Update | At least 19 killed, 343 injured in SW China earthquake

APD NEWS

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At least 19 people were killed and 343 injured after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Jiuzhaigou County in southwestern China's Sichuan Province late Tuesday, according to local emergency services.

Eight of the victims were tourists and 40 of the injured are in a critical condition.

One French national and one Canadian were slightly injured, an official from the provincial earthquake disaster relief headquarters said during a press conference on Wednesday.

More than 47,000 tourists have been evacuated and local authorities have set up emergency shelters at Zhangzha town, a local Sheraton resort, and the Moon Valley scenic area.

Over 770 aftershocks were detected in the area, including a magnitude-4.8 shock striking the county at 10:17 a.m. Beijing time on Wednesday.

There is a high risk of landslides if strong rain hits the area, the emergency office of China's Land and Resources Ministry warned.

Chinese President Xi: 'All-out' efforts should be made

‍Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for "all-out efforts" to rapidly organize relief work and rescue injured people.

As the earthquake took place during the flood period and tourism season, authorities should enhance meteorological early warning and geological monitoring to guard against other disasters, Xi added.

Premier Li Keqiang also urged local authorities to go all out in relief and monitoring work.

About Jiuzhaigou

Jiuzhaigou, or Jiuzhai Valley, is a national park located in the north of

Sichuan Province. Inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992, the valley is home to diverse natural scenery combining lakes, waterfalls, verdant forests and snow-covered mountains.

In order to protect the ecosystem at the park, local authorities capped visitor numbers at 41,000 (April 1 to November 15) and 23,000 (November 16 to March 31) daily. More than 34,000 people visited the park on Tuesday.

(CGTN)