More than 270 people in a village in Gansu Province have been left homeless after a fire on Jan 9, 2011, local authorities said. A spokesman with the Zhouqu County government said the blaze in Qawa village was put out by 3:00 PM. No casualties were reported, but 613 houses were damaged. The local government has sent 70 tents and ordered food supplies as well as quilts to help the victims in the region. [Xinhua]

Damaged houses are seen after a fire in Qawa Village, Zhouqu County in northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan 9, 2011. [Xinhua]