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Scores feared dead, others injured in northwest China earthquake
Scores feared dead, others injured in northwest China earthquake
After China experienced its deadliest earthquake in years, which left at least 118 people dead and hundreds more injured, rescuers in isolated communities in northwest China on Tuesday combed through the debris of collapsed homes.
In the poor region of Gansu, authorities reported that as of Tuesday morning, the shallow earthquake that occurred shortly before midnight had killed at least 105 people and injured over 400 more.
In Haidong, in the nearby province of Qinghai, an additional 13 people perished, 182 were hurt, and 20 were reported missing, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The quake damaged thousands of homes — many of them ramshackle brick structures — and sent residents running into the freezing streets for safety.
“I was almost scared to death. Look at how my hands and legs are shaking,” said a woman of about 30 in a video posted to a social media account associated with the state-run People’s Daily newspaper.
“As soon as I ran out of the house, the earth on the mountain gave way, thudding on the roof,” she said as she sat swaddled in a blanket outside, cradling a baby.
Footage from CCTV showed family possessions strewn among masonry from a house that caved in during the shaking.
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An AFP team in Haidong saw vehicles ferrying supplies and workers repairing road barriers.
– Deadliest in years –
The quake was China’s deadliest since 2014, when more than 600 people died in southwestern Yunnan province.
China’s western hinterland carries the scars of frequent seismic activity, and a huge quake in Sichuan province in 2008 left more than 87,000 people dead or missing, including 5,335 schoolchildren.
The US Geological Survey said Monday night’s magnitude-5.9 quake struck at a shallow depth at 11:59 pm local time (1559 GMT) with an epicentre around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Gansu’s provincial capital, Lanzhou.
China’s state news agency Xinhua reported the magnitude as 6.2 and said the shaking was felt as far away as the major city of Xi’an, about 570 kilometres away.
Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed, and officials warned that tremors with a magnitude of more than 5.0 were possible in the next few days.
A quake measured at magnitude 5.2 by USGS was detected further northwest in the Xinjiang region on Tuesday morning.
– Freezing temperatures –
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” as search and rescue work got under way early Tuesday.
Temperatures are below freezing in the high-altitude area, and rescuers should be on guard for secondary disasters, he said, according to CCTV.
Provincial officials said at a press conference on Tuesday morning that nearly 5,000 homes had been damaged by the quake in Gansu.
State media reported that power and water supplies were disrupted in villages around the epicentre but that some electricity had later been restored.
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Footage from one of the worst-hit places on CCTV showed residents warming themselves by a fire while emergency services set up tents.
CCTV said more than 1,400 firefighters and rescue personnel had been sent to the disaster zone, while another 1,600 remained “on standby”.
The broadcaster and Xinhua said supplies including 2,500 tents, 20,000 coats and 5,000 rollaway beds had been sent to Gansu, while drinking water, blankets, stoves and instant noodles were also being dispatched to the disaster area.
CCTV added that the central government had preliminarily diverted 200 million yuan ($28 million) in relief funding to “guarantee the security of people’s lives and property, and minimise the impact of losses from the disaster”.
Footage showed emergency vehicles driving along snow-lined highways towards the scene with their lights flashing.
Rescue workers in overalls were pictured shoulder-to-shoulder in the trucks, while other images showed them lining up in ranks to receive instructions.
Other clips showed emergency personnel going through debris by torchlight, unfolding orange stretchers for the casualties.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated in Gansu, officials said.
Earthquakes are not uncommon in China. In August, a shallow 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern part of the country, injuring 23 people and collapsing dozens of buildings.
In September 2022, a 6.6-magnitude quake hit Sichuan province leaving almost 100 dead.
And in 2010, a 6.9-magnitude quake in Qinghai left 3,000 people dead or missing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday offered his “deep” condolences over the quake to his Chinese counterpart Xi.
“In Russia, we share the pain of those who lost their loved ones in the disaster and hope for a speedy recovery for all those injured,” said Putin in a letter, according to a statement from the Kremlin.
Scores feared dead, others injured in northwest China earthquake
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How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper
How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper
One Gift Ogbo, a suspected kidnapper, has disclosed that his kidnap gang was formed during his eleven years in Nigeria’s prison.
Ogbo, 39, who hails from Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of the State, was arrested by the police in Rivers state during a botched kidnap operation.
He is currently in a hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the kidnap operation on March 29, 2024.
Ogbo said he had never acquired a formal education since birth, adding that from a very tender age he always roamed his village during school hours looking for what to steal
According to Vanguard, Ogbo led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission, in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.
They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic , parked on the road, with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats.
The driver of the Mercedes was said to have hit a wall while attempting to reverse and escape.
He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car and ran over them.
After seeing that Ogbo and another member of the gang identified simply as Oyi-Baba have been run over by the driver and rendered incapacitated by the incident, their colleagues abandoned them and fled the scene.
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A mob was said to have pounced on them and was at the brink of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.
While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.
From the hospital bed, Ogbo, said, “ In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process.
I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.
“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.
”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.
“ We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.
“ We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.
“ But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.
We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch , his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via
How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper
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Landmines kill 5 JTF members, others wounded on Borno highway
Landmines kill 5 JTF members, others wounded on Borno highway
At least five civilian JTF members have been killed and unspecified others sustained varying degrees of injury when they stepped on landmines along the Maiduguri/Gomboru Ngala highway in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, sources said.
It was learnt that the incident occurred around Gajibo village about 12:30pm on Saturday.
According to a security source who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, no fewer than five persons lost their lives when they stepped on landmines planted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
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“There were devastating landmines this afternoon around Gajibo community in Dikwa Local Government Area, killing at least five CJTF members and others seriously injured,” the security source said.
A top CJTF commander in Maiduguri confirmed the attacked to our correspondent, adding they were on patrol when they mistakenly stepped on explosives near Gajibo village on Saturday afternoon.
He said they lost some members, but the details were not yet available at press time.
The Nigerian Army is yet to issue any statement on the incident.
Landmines kill 5 JTF members, others wounded on Borno highway
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Why I broke down in tears – Saudi Arabia maid impregnated by boss narrates ordeal
Why I broke down in tears – Saudi Arabia maid impregnated by boss narrates ordeal
A Kenyan lady, Faith Wambui, who worked as a maid in Saudi Arabia, has come forward to share her traumatic ordeal of being impregnated by her Saudi Arabian boss.
Speaking exclusively to Tuko, the lady revealed the agonizing challenges she faced, including deprivation of food, sleep, and exploitation.
According to the lady, she embarked on a journey to Saudi Arabia with the assistance of her elder sister.
However, what awaited her there was far from the envisioned prospects. From the outset, she faced hostility from her employer, who harbored a deep-seated dislike towards her.
Despite the unbearable conditions, she found herself trapped between the harsh reality of her situation and the pressing needs of her family back home, compelling her to endure the hardships imposed upon her.
“He won’t give me enough food. Sometimes, I would go for three days without eating. I also did not used to get enough sleep. I really wanted to quit, but when I remembered the problems back home, I decided to endure the hardships in the house,” she said in a part
Adding to her torment, the lady revealed the treacherous actions of her boss’s brother, who cunningly manipulated her vulnerabilities.
He resorted to deceitful tactics, including hiding food from her and exploiting her desperation by offering monetary assistance.
“He would bring me some rice and soda. Sometimes, he would give me money, which I would later ask him to send to my family as my first three-month salary was going to my agent.” she added.
The lady sadly revealed that she was forced to have an affair with him, which led to her becoming pregnant.
Why I broke down in tears – Saudi Arabia maid impregnated by boss narrates ordeal
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