8 killed in China quake (Lead)

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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