A two-meter section of the Great Wall of China collapsed as a result of the earthquake measuring 6.9 on the open Richter scale that struck the northwest of the country last Saturday, official media reported today.
The ruined section dates from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and it is located in the province of Gansu, 114 kilometers from the place where the epicenter of the earthquake was located, reports the state newspaper Global Times. The area has been provisionally secured and reconstruction and restoration work has already begun, adds the media.
The earthquake that collapsed a portion of China’s most iconic monument occurred last Saturday at 01.45 local time (17.45 GMT on Friday) in a “sparsely populated” area of remote Qinghai province, with a little less than 6 million inhabitants, it is one of the least populated in the country.
Apart from the collapse of the wall, the collapse of stables and damage to more than 200 houses, The earthquake did not cause significant material losses or fatalities.
A total of nine people were injured, of whom eight had already been discharged the following day, and another 65 were temporarily relocated.
The big Wall, UNESCO World Heritage since 1987, It is made up of what were originally numerous unconnected sections built by small states to defend themselves against invasions from the north.
It was the self-proclaimed first emperor of China, Qin Shi (221-210 BC) who decided to unite them, connecting a stretch of thousands of kilometers that prevented the Mongol hordes of horse archers from easy access to the empire.
Discussion about this post