The death toll from the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest China's Yunnan province on Sunday has risen to nearly 600, Chinese authorities said today, while volunteer rescuers were warned not to approach the disaster area.
The rescue operation is hampered by traffic delays and landslides blocking roads.
At least 589 people have been confirmed dead as of this morning, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs said on its website.
According to the data of that ministry, 2.401 people were injured, and 230.000 people were evacuated, while more than 80.000 houses were completely or partially destroyed.
In Longtoushan, where the epicenter of the earthquake was, the body of a small child was pulled from the rubble late last night in front of a grieving family.
Hundreds of survivors gathered in several destinations of blue tents today, and some of them sobbed quietly as they were handed buns.
The rescue operation is concentrated in the central city area, reports AFP.
Locals say the earthquake collapsed student dormitory dormitories, reminiscent of the 2008 disaster in Sichuan that killed more than 80.000 people, including thousands of children, when their cheaply built schools collapsed.
Chinese authorities warned civilian volunteers not to approach the earthquake-hit area, as supply routes were blocked due to traffic jams and humanitarian aid arrived with substandard goods.
More than 18.000 professional rescuers, mostly soldiers and policemen, have been dispatched to the disaster area, Chinese media reported.
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