More than 110 dead in northwest China earthquake

BEIJING

At least 111 people were killed when an earthquake collapsed buildings in northwest China, state media reported Tuesday, as rescue workers raced to start digging through rubble.

About 100 were killed and scores more injured in Gansu province after the strong, shallow tremor struck, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the provincial earthquake relief headquarters.

According to CCTV, 11 others were killed and 100 injured in the city of Haidong in the neighbouring province of Qinghai.

The quake caused significant damage, including collapsed houses, and sent people running into the street for safety, state news agency Xinhua said.

Rescue work was under way early Tuesday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for "all-out efforts" in the search and relief work as well as ensuring the safety of the survivors and their property.

The quake, which was logged as magnitude 5.9 by the US Geological Survey, struck in Gansu near the border with Qinghai, where Haidong is located.

That epicentre is about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Gansu province's capital, Lanzhou. Several smaller aftershocks followed the initial earthquake.

Xinhua reported the quake — which was felt in Xi'an in northern Shaanxi province, some 570 kilometres (350 miles) away — as magnitude 6.2.