Beijing May 11 (IANS) At least eight people were killed and 23 others injured on Thursday after an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted China s Xinjiang region officials said.
The epicentre with a depth of about 8.0 km was monitored at 37.58 degrees north latitude and 75.25 degrees east longitude in the southeast part of the Pamir Plateau Xinhua news agency reported.
A total of 9 200 people from Taxkorgan the closest county to the epicentre have been relocated to safe places.
In Quzgun Village 820 heads of livestock were injured or killed and 1 520 homes collapsed.
As of 10 a.m. the Xinjiang seismological bureau recorded 82 aftershocks following the quake.
More than 1 000 soldiers and police officers have rushed to the quake-stricken areas for rescue.
Relief goods are already on the way according to the quake emergency response headquarters.
Taxkorgan some 1 250 km from Urumqi capital of Xinjiang borders Pakistan Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
--IANS
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8 killed in China quake (Lead)
