At least 124 people were killed and more than 3,000 others injured when an earthquake measuring 7.0 Richter struck China’s Sichuan province yesterday. The earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya’an city at 8.02 am, China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said. The epicentre, with a depth of 13 km, was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude. Firefighters pulled out 49 survivors from collapsed structures. Among the survivors was a pregnant woman and two children. About 1,500 people have been evacuated to safer places.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission has dispatched a medical emergency response team consisting of more than 180 doctors. Another team, comprising 19 doctors from the General Hospital of Armed Police Forces, are taking surgery equipment and more than 5,000 types of medicine to the region. The ministry of civil affairs has dispatchedrelief materials, including tents, blankets and makeshift beds.