In the late hours of Monday night, a remote and mountainous county on the northern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau experienced a magnitude-6.2 earthquake, resulting in a tragic toll. Chinese state media reported at least 111 casualties and more than 230 injuries as of now.

Jishishan county in Gansu province was the epicenter of the quake, which struck at 11:59 p.m. local time at a depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Rescue and relief operations are in progress, with a working group dispatched to assess the extent of the disaster. The number of missing individuals remains unknown.

Notably, earthquakes are frequent in western provinces like Gansu, situated on the tectonically active eastern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. The latest seismic event, located 5 km from the Gansu border, triggered strong tremors in various parts of Qinghai province.

Approximately 2,200 rescue personnel, including teams from the provincial fire department and forest brigade, as well as professional emergency rescue teams, are actively involved in the disaster zone. The military and police are also contributing to the rescue efforts. China's national commission for disaster prevention, reduction, and relief, along with the Ministry of Emergency Management, has activated a level-IV disaster relief emergency.

Given the high-altitude and cold weather in the disaster area, rescue operations are addressing the risk of secondary disasters beyond the quake itself. The temperature in Linxia, Gansu, near the quake's epicenter, was recorded at approximately minus 14 degrees Celsius on Tuesday morning. With freezing temperatures affecting much of China due to an ongoing cold wave, challenges persist.

Reports indicate damage to water, electricity, transportation, communications, and other infrastructure, although specific details are yet to be provided. Power is gradually being restored to the affected area, thanks to 18 emergency repair teams sent by the state grid, as reported by state television CCTV.

Social media has captured scenes of rubble surrounding collapsed buildings and residents seeking safety in open spaces. Videos and photos depict the aftermath, with locals leaving buildings and gathering in the dark, some wrapped in thick blankets.

Preliminary analysis categorizes the earthquake as a thrust-type rupture, one of three above magnitude 6 within 200 km of the epicenter since 1900. By Tuesday morning, nine aftershocks at magnitude 3.0 and above had been recorded, including two surpassing 4.0 in magnitude, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.