International Desk: At least 111 people have been killed by a strong earthquake in the northwestern part of China. More than 220 people were injured. The earthquake struck at 11:59 p.m. local time on Monday. This was reported by the BBC media in a report.
The country’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the earthquake hit Gansu Province at midnight on Monday local time. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.9 on the Richter scale, but Chinese authorities said it was 6.2.
The Xinhua report also said that 100 people were killed in Gansu. 96 people were injured. Besides, 11 people were killed and 124 people were injured in Qinghai.
The quake struck about 23 miles west-northwest of Linxia Chengguanzhen at a depth of about 6 miles, the USGS said.
Several aftershocks were felt after the earthquake. Power and water supply disruptions were reported in some villages after the earthquake struck. Video footage posted on social media showed collapsed buildings and debris.
In a statement to officials, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for intensified search and rescue operations. He also directed all efforts to treat the injured and reduce the number of casualties.
Earlier in August this year, a magnitude-5.4 earthquake hit the eastern part of the country. No one was killed, but 23 people were injured. Several buildings collapsed. More than 60 people died in a 6.6-magnitude earthquake in southwest China’s Sichuan province last September.
