Two deadly quakes strike Tibet

"Two earthquakes jolted the capital of Tibet and surrounding areas, killing at least nine people and collapsing hundreds of houses, China's state news agency said Tuesday. Rescuers rushed in to try to save people buried in the rubble.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Monday's first quake measured magnitude 6.6 and struck at 4:30 p.m. ( 8:30 a.m. GMT) 50 miles west of Lhasa, more than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) from Beijing.

The second temblor measuring magnitude 5.1 hit about 15 minutes later, some 60 miles west of the Tibetan capital, it said.

Earlier reports from China's official Xinhua News Agency said at least 30 people died, but the agency revised the death toll to nine on Tuesday, saying the previous figure was inaccurate as it came from "unauthoritative sources" and required verification.

Hundreds of houses collapsed in Gedar township near the epicenter in Dangxiong County, and traffic and telecommunications were cut. Nineteen people were injured, Xinhua said, citing Hao Peng, deputy chairman of the Tibetan regional government.

An unknown number of people were trapped, and soldiers and rescue workers were dispatched to the site, Xinhua said.

Deaths also were reported in a neighboring county, Xinhua said, but no figures were available..."

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