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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- A
powerful earthquake has shaken western China's
Xinjiang region leaving at least 10 people dead, state
media reports.
Thirty-four people were reported injured and more
than 700 houses fell, the official Xinhua News Agency
said.
The magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolted remote Zhaosu
county about 2985 km (1860 miles) northwest of
Beijing, at 9:38 a.m. Monday (0138GMT), causing more
than 700 homes to collapse, reports said.
According to the U.S. National Earthquake Information
Center (NEIC), the quake was slightly less powerful,
with a magnitude of 5.7,
The epicenter was located in a sparsely populated area
about 2985 km (1860 miles) northwest of Beijing
between Yining, China and Karakol, Kyrgyzstan, the
NEIC Web site said.
For people living in the area the quake struck early
in the day.
China has just one timezone, eight hours ahead of GMT,
meaning that at this time of year 9:38 in the morning
is not long after sunrise.
Xinhua, quoting local officials, said that as of
Monday afternoon at least 10 people were confirmed
dead.
"All county officials are on the scene investigating
the aftermath and organizing the rescue efforts," a
county official told CNN.
Xinhua said officials have evacuated residents and
canceled schools in affected areas.
A team of experts from the seismology bureau in the
provincial capital of Urumqi have also been sent to
the scene to monitor the situation.
Xinjiang, a seismically active area, was the site of
the most lethal quake in China this year -- a
magnitude 6.8 quake on February 24 that killed 268
people.
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