China erects temporary housing units after earthquake destroys 14,000 homes

Volunteers preparing foods to quake victims at a temporary settlement in Chenjiacun village in Jishishan county in Gansu on Dec 20. - AP

BEIJING: Hundreds of temporary one-room housing units were set up Thursday (Dec 21) in northwest China for survivors of an earthquake that destroyed more than 14,000 homes and killed at least 144 people, according to state media reports.

The death toll rose by nine as search teams dug through heavy mudslides that had inundated two villages, a city official in Qinghai province said on Friday morning. Three people remained missing in the mudslides.