Strong earthquake shakes remote area in western China
Beijing (AP): A strong overnight earthquake shook a sparsely populated area in western China early Saturday and forced the suspension of high-speed rail service because of tunnel damage, authorities said.
Four people with minor injuries in Menyuan Hui Autonomous County had been treated and released, they said at a news conference.
The magnitude 6.9 quake struck at 1:45 a.m. in a mountainous part of Qinghai province that is 3,659 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. It was felt 140 kilometers (85 miles) southeast in Xining, the provincial capital, where some people rushed outside of homes and buildings.
Nighttime video posted online by CGTN, the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV, showed furniture and ceiling lamps swaying and livestock suddenly standing up and moving in its pen. Photos from the state-owned China News Service showed scattered damage to homes including a broken window and wall tiles and a large ceiling section that had fallen.
There are five villages within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the epicenter, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Service on some sections of a high-speed rail line from Lanzhou in Gansu province to the Xinjiang region was halted because of damage to several tunnels, Xinhua said. Some lines between Qinghai and Tibet were closed and inspectors were sent to check the tracks.
Rescue and firefighting teams in Qinghai and neighbouring Gansu province have sent about 500 rescuers to the epicenter, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said in an online statement. Another 2,260 rescuers from neighboring provinces were on standby.
The ministry and the China Earthquake Administration dispatched a team to Qinghai to help investigate the situation and resettle any affected residents. (AP)
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
