Downpours hit NW China quake zone

MINXIAN, Gansu - Heavy rain has been falling in a quake zone in Northwest China's Gansu province since Wednesday, hampering the transport of relief materials, local authorities said Thursday.

A 6.6-magnitude quake that jolted the juncture area of the Minxian and Zhangxian counties at 7:45 am Monday morning has left at least 95 people dead and another 1,461 injured, the provincial earthquake relief headquarters said.

Children play in the rain at a relocation site in Qingtu village, Minxian county, July 24, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

The heavy rain has muddied rural roads and made it impossible for vehicles to reach residents of the village of Yongguang in Minxian, said Guo Yongbi, chief of the village branch committee of the Communist Party of China, adding that the goods are now being transported on foot.

Xu Guangyao, director of the county's civil affairs bureau, said local authorities will ensure that affected residents receive the materials they need.

More than 100 people who were living in makeshift tents in Yongguang have been transferred to prefabricated housing, Guo said.

The heavy rain also caused a landslide in the village.