Strong earthquake hits kills Dozens in China

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured in a powerful earthquake in rural areas of China's south-western province of Sichuan.The 6.6-magnitude quake wrecked buildings, cut power and blocked roads in Lushan county, killing more than 100 and injuring hundreds, officials say.

Rescuers are struggling to get through to the worst-affected areas because of aftershocks and landslides.Tens of thousands were killed in a quake that hit Sichuan in 2008.The latest quake, initially reported as of 7.0 magnitude, struck at 08:02 local time (00:02 GMT).

Its epicentre was in a rural area some 115km (70 miles) west of provincial capital Chengdu, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

State broadcaster CCTV showed images of injured people being taken to hospital in Lushan.One injured man told the channel: "We still live in our old house, the new one is not ready yet. Our house just collapsed. Everything collapsed."

The quake was measured at 12km below the surface, a shallow depth that usually indicates extensive damage.Aerial shots of Lushan showed buildings collapsed or without roofs.Power has been lost in the area, water supplies have been cut and telephone lines are also down.

Source: BBC