Firefighters rush to help quake-hit county in Xinjiang

More than 190 firefighters have rushed to Wushi county that was jolted by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake early on Tuesday, as another 1,200 rescuers get ready to head to the quake-hit area, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The tremor occurred in the county in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region at 2:09 am. The focal depth of the earthquake was 22 kilometers, the ministry said in a press release.

As of 6 am, 31 aftershocks above magnitude 3 had been recorded, with the strongest one reaching magnitude 5.3, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The ministry said 192 firefighters from Xinjiang fire and rescue corps have left for the jolt-stricken area with 41 vehicles and three rescue dogs.

Another 14 squads consisting of 710 rescuers from the corps, including seven with expertise in earthquake rescue, have assembled to wait for order, it said.

It said 500 firefighters with the Xinjiang forest fire service are also ready to head to Wushi.

The ministry has asked earthquake rescue teams with Xizang autonomous region and Gansu province to assemble to get prepared, it added.

It said 1,000 tents, 5,000 winter coats, 5,000 blankets, 5,000 cotton-padded mattresses, 5,000 folding bed and 1,000 heating stoves have been dispatched to Wushi for disaster relief.