Earthquake kills more than 100 in north-west China

BEIJING: At least 111 people died and another 220 were injured following an earthquake in north-west China on Monday, state media reported.

The quake struck in Gansu province around midnight, damaging buildings both there and in the neighbouring province of Qinghai, BBC reported.

The US Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of 10km.

Rescue efforts were under way early on Tuesday morning.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping said “all efforts should be made to carry out search and rescue, treat the injured in a timely manner, and minimise casualties”.

The government has dispatched teams of rescue workers to assist local emergency personnel.

State media agency Xinhua says 100 people were killed and 96 were injured in Gansu, while 11 more were killed and 124 were injured in Qinghai.

Power and water supplies have also been disrupted in parts of the region.

China sits in a region where a number of tectonic plates – notably the Eurasian, Indian and Pacific plates – meet, and is particularly prone to earthquakes.

(Inputs from BBC)