Premier Li walks to Yunnan disaster site

Premier Li Keqiang comforts an injured boy during a visit to Longtouzshan village in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, on Aug 4 after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled the southwest China's city on Sunday.  [Photo by Liu Zhen/China News Service]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang walked for more than 5 km on a narrow, muddy country road on Monday to reach the epicenter of the deadly earthquake that struck the remote area and oversee relief efforts.

Key Points A 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China's Yunnan province at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The epicenter is in Longtoushan Township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, in Zhaotong city. More than 12,000 houses have been toppled and 30,000 damaged in the quake zone. At least 381 people dead and 1,801 injured Many of the homes that collapsed in Ludian, which has a population of about 429,000, were old and made of brick. More than 2,500 troops dispatched to the disaster region.

Li arrived in Longquan village, Yunnan province, to inspect the severe damage caused by the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Sunday, claiming the lives of at least 398 people and injured more than 1,802, according to Xinhua.

On his walk to the village, Li stepped aside many times for soldiers and doctors who were carrying the injured, telling them to "hurry up" and "seize every second to rescue people".

"Now is the most crucial time!" Li shouted from the top of a devastated building to the army troops and armed police who were busy searching for survivors.

He added: "If you save one more person, you save one more happy family. Saving lives is the top priority. Hurry up! Don't stop! Save people at all costs!"

Because many buildings along the road had visible cracks, Li urged local officials to go into each room to check if it was safe and to make sure no resident lives under a roof that may collapse. He said more tents were being transferred to the area for temporary shelter.

Some local officials told Li that food and other relief supplies were in shortage due to the damage to most roads into the area. Li immediately ordered for food, water and medicine to be delivered by air.

Many injured villagers were being treated in a temporary medical station in the playground of the village's middle school. Li went there in person to make sure the medical supplies were adequate. He told doctors and nurses to take good care of each patient and to keep the death and disability rates as low as possible.