More than 100 killed after earthquake hits northwest China

Dec. 18 (UPI) -- More than 100 people have been killed in an earthquake that struck China's north-western Gansu Province shortly before midnight Monday, state news reported Tuesday.

The China Earthquake Networks Center said in a statement that the temblor hit at 23:59 p.m. Monday, local time, in Jishan County at a depth of a little more than 6 miles.

It registered as a 6.2 magnitude strike, it said.

The death toll has reached at least 111 dead, including 100 in Gansu Province and 11 in neighboring Qinghai Province, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.

That number is up by six deaths from Tuesday morning when officials told reporters during a local press conference that 105 had died and another 199 were injured.

The officials said more than 6,380 homes in Jishishan were also damaged.

President Xi Jinping of China has urged for "all-out search and rescue efforts and proper arrangements" for those impacted by the earthquake, Xinhua said in its report.

The Canadian embassy in China issued a statement expressing its condolences to those affected.

"We wish the rescue teams safety as they work to assist the affected communities," it said on X, formerly know as Twitter.

This is a developing story.