China’s Gansu Earthquake Exposes Poverty in Region, Locals Say

People gather next to a fire on a street after an earthquake in Jishishan county, in northwest China’s Gansu Province, on Dec. 19, 2023. Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images

In the aftermath of the earthquake that hit one of China’s poorest areas in Gansu Province, thousands of homes were left in ruins. Despite the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) claim that the region had successfully eradicated poverty, the earthquake brought the reality to light.

A resident emphasized that, were it not for the earthquake, “The extent of our poverty here would go unnoticed,” according to a Chinese news report.

‘Poverty Alleviation’

At 11:59 p.m. local time on Dec. 18, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Jishishan county in Linxia prefecture, Gansu. At least 127 people were reportedly killed, and hundreds were injured. Images from the scene show the destruction of many adobe houses, mostly made of clay.