Doctors race against time to save victims of earthquake

Doctors at the People's Hospital of Linxia are racing against time to save lives after a deadly earthquake hit Jishishan county in Northwest China's Gansu province around midnight on Monday.

Yang Huyong, deputy director of the intensive care medicine department at the hospital, said during an interview on Tuesday afternoon that they were treating over 100 patients transferred from stricken communities, aged from 2 to 79.

Nine surgeries have been performed so far and there are more than 30 cases classified as severe or critical, Yang said, adding that common injuries included cranial trauma and fractures.

The hospital has over 100 ICU beds, he added.

The 7-year-old Ma Yating was woken up by the shake of her home in Jishishan county. When trying to get out of bed, she was hit by a stone slab on her back.

"She was transferred to the hospital around 1:30 am on Tuesday through the help of our village officials," said Ma's grandmother.

According to doctors at hospital, Ma was diagnosed with a mild bone fracture but there is no need to carry out surgeries at present.

"Both her parents are away and picking up gig jobs in other regions. She was terrified but is now able to have some porridge, which is a great relief to me," said the grandmother.

Doctors at the hospital said that Ma is under close observation and will receive psychological services in the coming days to help ease her anxiety.

Zhang Lei, an intensive care specialist from Gansu Province Central Hospital in Lanzhou, provincial capital of Gansu, was dispatched to the hospital to help treat the injured.

"The top priority at present is screening all patients and identifying those at risk of developing into severe cases and put them into intensive care units as early as possible," he said.

According to the hospital, there are six medical aid teams comprising over 40 personnel offering support at the People's Hospital of Linxia and nurses have been mobilized from other hospitals.