In the videos filmed in Chengdu, people frightened by the earthquake demanded to be let out of the locked gates. The earthquake shook houses in the city of a million people, which is under China’s latest strict corona lockdown.
In China, social media users have been angered by videos of people being prevented from fleeing their homes after an earthquake.
A strong earthquake hit the province of Sichuan yesterday, Monday, killing at least 66 people.
In the capital of the province, Chengdu, with a population of 21 million, strict corona regulations have been kept in force despite the earthquake. There have been videos circulating on the internet where employees wearing protective clothing are preventing residents of an apartment building from getting out of the building’s lobby doors.
The BBC also reports on the video, which is said to be an audio recording of a loud announcement. “Go back home, don’t gather here. This is just an earthquake. We have experience,” the audio says. The last sentence suggests that earthquakes are not uncommon in Sichuan.
People have vented their anger at the restrictions, for example, on the Chinese social media service Weibo.
– I guess it’s okay if I die inside the building. At least I didn’t get infected, posted one of the users.
The quake shook buildings in Chengdu, but no damage was reported in the city.
Strict quarantine in Chengdu
The city of Chengdu last week became the latest major Chinese city where authorities imposed strict corona restrictions. About 21 million inhabitants have been told to stay indoors. One person from the household is allowed to do the necessary shopping.
In the big city of Shanghai, the strict control of the quarantine regulations led to protests by the townspeople in the spring, when people were locked in their homes for long periods of time and there was a shortage of food. In Chengdu, according to the news agency AP, even ordering takeout is now prohibited in at least one area.
China has a zero-tolerance policy regarding the coronavirus. Whole residential communities are routinely quarantined if Covid-19 infections are detected. A single person’s positive test result has been enough to quarantine an apartment building.
Chinese authorities reported 1,499 new cases on Tuesday, most of which were said to be asymptomatic. In Sichuan, 138 of the cases were found.
Earthquake rescue efforts continue, hundreds injured
Rescue efforts to find victims of Monday’s earthquake in Sichuan continued on Tuesday. The epicenter of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake was in the Luding region, a couple of hundred kilometers from Chengdu.
The earthquake damaged thousands of houses and cut off electricity and telecommunication connections.
According to Chinese state media, at least 250 people have been injured. About 11,000 people have been evacuated from the earthquake area.