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Southwest China earthquake kills at least 12, injures over 175

The search and rescue effort continues in the disaster area, which is home to about 210,000 people

BEIJING, August 9. /TASS/. At least 12 people were killed and 175 were injured in an earthquake that struck the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan on Tuesday night, the Central Chinese TV reported on Wednesday.

The search and rescue effort continues in the disaster area, which is home to about 210,000 people.

Read also

Death toll in southwest China earthquake rises to nine, 135 injured

The Jiuzhaigou County in the Sichuan Province was struck by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake at about 21:19 local time (16:19 Moscow time) on Tuesday. The epicenter of the quake was located some 280-300 kilometers away from the provincial capital Chengdu, at the depth of 20 kilometers.

More than 770 aftershocks followed, most of them not exceeding the magnitude of 3.9.

Shortly after the quake, some 30,000 tourists were evacuated from the Jiuzhaigou County. So far, there were no reports about any Russians killed or injured in the disaster. Chinese rescuers were pessimistic in their death toll estimates on Tuesday, saying that the tremor had a potential to kill hundreds of people.

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