BEIJING, Oct 26: Two powerful earthquakes have struck northwest China’s Gansu province, killing nine people and injuring 43 others, government agencies said on Sunday.

The death toll climbed from four to nine as victims buried under collapsed buildings were found on Sunday, the ministry of civil affairs and State Seismological Bureau were quoted by the Xinhua news agency as saying.

The quakes, measuring 6.1 and 5.8 on the Richter scale, jolted areas between Minle and Shandan counties of Gansu province’s Zhangye city at 8:41 pm and 8:48 pm on Saturday, the Bureau said.

Six of those injured were in a serious condition while another 37 suffered light injuries, Xinhua said.

But an official told AFP the final tally was not yet available.

“Approximately four townships have been affected. I don’t know exactly how many people have suffered,” said the official from the Zhangye city seismological bureau.

Most residents in the area are farmers or herdsmen.

More than 10,800 residential rooms were destroyed by the quakes and more than 3,000 livestock were killed or hurt, Xinhua said, citing the ministry. China usually records property damage in terms of rooms rather than buildings.

Sources from the Gansu provincial seismological bureau said 30 percent of the houses at the epicentre of the quakes had been severely damaged. Around 90 percent of the buildings in one village, Yaozhaizi, had collapsed, Xinhua said.

Damage was also caused to schools, grain warehouses, bridges, water and power supplies.

By 12:30 pm on Sunday, 170 aftershocks measuring above 0.5 on the Richter scale had occurred.

Cold weather in the disaster-hit areas were adding to the problems of quake victims. Temperatures in the area dropped to minus five-six degrees Celsius and it had snowed in the area a few days ago, Xinhua said.—AFP