By International Desk, The CNN :
At least 110 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake hit northwestern China in the middle of the night. More than 230 people were injured in this incident. The earthquake struck at 11:59 p.m. local time on Monday (December 18).
The earthquake hit Gansu province around midnight Monday local time.
According to USGS, the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.9 on the Richter scale. However, Chinese authorities say the magnitude was 6.2.
According to USGS data, the earthquake struck about 23 miles west-northwest of Linxia Chengguanzhen at a depth of about 6 miles. The provincial capital Lanzhou is about 60 miles from the epicenter. Power and water supply disruptions were reported in some villages after the earthquake struck.
Video footage posted on social media showed collapsed buildings and debris. Emergency rescue work has started. In August this year, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit the eastern part of the country. No one was killed but 23 people were injured. Several buildings collapsed at that time.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an all-out rescue effort to minimize casualties following the earthquake.
