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ALMOST 400 PEOPLE were killed by an earthquake in China yesterday.
More than 18,000 rescuers were deployed in the disaster zone in the southwestern province of Yunnan, where nearly 80,000 houses were destroyed and 124,000 more seriously damaged
The Yunnan province civil affairs office said 398 people had been confirmed killed and 1,801 injured.
The official news agency, Xinhua, said its reporters “saw drenched survivors sit along the muddy roads waiting for food and medication. Some half-naked survivors were quivering in the rain”.
Response
The 6.5 magnitude earthquake has caused substantial damage in Ludian County.
Aftershocks and landslides are continuing to cause damage in the area and limit rescue workers’ access. In many areas, rescue workers and emergency responders have been forced to access quake-hit areas on foot.
Heavy rainfall is also forecast in the coming days, and could further complicate the response.
Bodies that are recovered from the rubble are being placed across muddy pathways wrapped in dirty blankets as the roads are blocked and so they cannot be moved.
Volunteers from across China are heading to Yunnan to assist.
Government authorities are leading the overall response.
Plan International is also deploying a rapid assessment team to assist the government response to the earthquake.
Plan has been working in China since 1995 helping children to access their rights to health, education, livelihoods and protection.
Sven Coppens is Plan’s Country Director in China, he said:
The full extent of the damage, casualties, and scale of the emergency are still being assessed.
Plan’s rapid assessment team is expected to reach Ludian County by this evening, subject to accessibility and damage to infrastructure.
The rapid assessment will begin immediately and be coordinated with the government and other NGOs participating in the response.
Additional reporting AFP.
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pity the lad having to count all those people arriving for thousands of years.
We were there on a dreary day in April and the place was rockin. It was very busy with coach tours. I think we paid €12 for the 4 of us. Views are breathtaking. Well worth a visit and not the usual rip off like most places
Ummm I wonder if an irish person was ever really going to be the millionth visitor??
I was there when I was a teen and it was free about 10 years later go again with my wife and I’ve to pay for something that nature created
Does one American still count as two?
Ha ! Ha ! Ha !
Ya alot of sadness associated with those cliffs too, my sister jumped of them as they sun was setting, god rest her.
Oh no…that’s awful, RIP.
That’s grim
How convenient a American won it.ripping people off with parking charges to view a natural wonder
You’re just annoyed that a competitor had more visits than you!
Are you blaming the Americans for parking charges??
Haven’t read the full story. Would sometime be so kind as to post up cliff notes?
I visited the cliff for the first time this year. Can’t believe I waited so long. It was in the evening and we hopped that little fence to get closer to the edge. There was no one there keeping track of visitors, but it’s a lovely time to see them, when the is sun setting.
There was, ya have to buy a ticket to go in. They build a very expensive visitors center there, from what I remember a lot of money went missing and it went way over budget. Another scandal hushed up.
Your revolution is going to be the least fun revolution ever
Cliffs in Kilkeel are just as impressive and u don’t need to pay to park your car
*Kilkee*
Very commercialised now, €6 per person to park the car = €24 for 2 adults 2 children. so we just went down a little side road where you could park the car in a farmers garden for €2 posted through his letterbox.
Stunning scenery, infact Clare in general is amazing :)
Come try the walk along the cliffs from Doolin to the Visitors Centre. Spectacular and nerve tingling at any time of year. http://youtu.be/Anftlby4gSE
There’s a guy that does a guided walk all the way along, knows his stuff and a good guide. Is that you?
I prefer slieve league.
I’d love to visit them. Visited the Giant’s Causeway earlier this year and wasn’t impressed.
Am I the only one who thinks the cliffs are a bit dull?
Coastal causeway road along north antrim coast is much more interesting.
You get a 1,000,000. visitors up there ?!!!
There is a great free Cliffs of Moher audio guide app
Where is the viral video of the event? Surly they want to get some publicity outside of the Irish media…
have your say