Qinghai 7.1 Earthquake

An earthquake of 7.1 magnitude struck Qinghai, China yesterday morning. Over 600 people were killed and more than 300 missing. 15000 residential building were destroyed, leaving a lot of victims homeless.

Among the dead was Mr. Wong, a volunteer from Hong Kong, who died while saving victims from a Yushu orphange. Mr Wong had been actively engaging in various charity work in mainland China in the past years. He arrived at an orphanage in Yushu earlier this month to provide volunteer service. Mr. Wong escaped when the orphanage building collapsed, but decided to return to help rescue the buried children and teachers. He was said to have successfully saved 4 people, but unfortunately lost his own life during the process. His courage and selflessness gained respect from people who read about the news.

Wen Jaibao, Premier of China, arrived at the affected region to inspect the damage. The freezing temperature became a great challenge to the survivors. Relief organizations like Oxfam and Red Cross have already started preparing aid packages, including thick blankets, tents, food and clothes, to send to the area. Hong Kong Red Cross has also mobilized $200000 to support the relief work in Qinghai.