A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco Bay Area, making it the strongest quake the region has witnessed in eight years.

The tremor was so strong that it rattled people as buildings began shaking. However, there were no reports of damage or injuries.

According to US Geological Survey, the tremors were recorded at 11.42 am (local time) on Tuesday about 12 miles (19 kilometres) east of San Jose, which is about 40 miles (64 kilometres) southeast of downtown San Francisco.

A 3.1 aftershock followed about five minutes after the initial earthquake, USGS said.

It is being reported that the quake occurred within the Calaveras Fault zone, one of eight major faults in the Bay Area and a branch of the San Andreas fault line.

Speaking to ABC news, Dr Lucy Jones, a seismologist at Center for Science and Society and research associate at Seismological Laboratory at Caltech, has warned that aftershocks as strong as 4.0 earthquake are possible on the Calaveras Fault in the next 24 hours.

"The Calaveras moves more slowly, it has less of the total motion going on there than on the San Andreas, so it moves less often or releases less energy," she was quoted as saying.

"But it seems to have the smaller earthquakes a lot more often. It's considered capable of a six and a half or so. But unlike the San Andreas, it's not going to have, you know, a magnitude eight," she added.

The 5.1 magnitude quake marked the largest earthquake in the Bay Area since the 2014 Napa quake, where 6.0. magnitude was recorded, Jones said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco Bay Area, making it the strongest quake the region has witnessed in eight years. The tremor was so strong that it rattled people as buildings began shaking.

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco Bay Area, making it the strongest quake the region has witnessed in eight years. The tremor was so strong that it rattled people as buildings began shaking. However, there were no reports of damage or injuries. According to US Geological Survey, the tremors were recorded at 11.42 am (local time) on Tuesday about 12 miles (19 kilometres) east of San Jose, which is about 40 miles (64 kilometres) southeast of downtown San Francisco. A 3.1 aftershock followed about five minutes after the initial earthquake, USGS said. It is being reported that the quake occurred within the Calaveras Fault zone, one of eight major faults in the Bay Area and a branch of the San Andreas fault line. Speaking to ABC news, Dr Lucy Jones, a seismologist at Center for Science and Society and research associate at Seismological Laboratory at Caltech, has warned that aftershocks as strong as 4.0 earthquake are possible on the Calaveras Fault in the next 24 hours. "The Calaveras moves more slowly, it has less of the total motion going on there than on the San Andreas, so it moves less often or releases less energy," she was quoted as saying. "But it seems to have the smaller earthquakes a lot more often. It's considered capable of a six and a half or so. But unlike the San Andreas, it's not going to have, you know, a magnitude eight," she added. The 5.1 magnitude quake marked the largest earthquake in the Bay Area since the 2014 Napa quake, where 6.0. magnitude was recorded, Jones said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US: 5.1 magnitude earthquake strikes San Francisco Bay Area, more tremors expected

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck western Mexico, killing at least one person and damaging local infrastructure. It comes on the anniversary of two local tremors in 1985 and 2017.

WION Climate Tracker: Powerful earthquake strikes Mexico's west coast on anniversary of two tremors

A shallow earthquake hit western Afghanistan, killing at least 26 people, according to local media reports.

A shallow quake of magnitude 5.3 struck the strife-torn region on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

According to officials, the victims reportedly died when roofs of their houses collapsed in Qadis district in the western province of Badghis. It is estimated that more than 1,000 houses have been damaged.

“Five women and four children are among the 26 people killed in the earthquake,” spokesman for the province Baz Mohammad Sarwary told AFP, adding that four were injured.

There were also reports of major destruction in Muqr district in the province, however details of casualties are not yet known, Sarwary said.

The majority of the homes and buildings built in impoverished Afghanistan are of poor quality. Hence, whenever an earthquake occurs, it leaves behind a trail of destruction and casualties.

Qadis is already reeling from a devastating drought, and has been receiving international aid for the past 20 years.

In 2015, nearly 280 people were killed when a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake centred in the mountain range ripped across South Asia, with the bulk of the deaths in Pakistan.

In that disaster, 12 young Afghan girls were crushed to death in a stampede as they tried to flee their shaking school building.

Afghanistan is already in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover of the country in August when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad.

The United Nations estimates nearly 23 million Afghans — about 55 per cent of the population — are facing extreme levels of hunger, with nearly 9 million at risk of famine as winter takes hold.

(With inputs from agencies)

A shallow earthquake hit western Afghanistan, killing at least 26 people, according to local media reports. A shallow quake of magnitude 5.3 struck the strife-torn region on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

A shallow earthquake hit western Afghanistan, killing at least 26 people, according to local media reports. A shallow quake of magnitude 5.3 struck the strife-torn region on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey. According to officials, the victims reportedly died when roofs of their houses collapsed in Qadis district in the western province of Badghis. It is estimated that more than 1,000 houses have been damaged. “Five women and four children are among the 26 people killed in the earthquake,” spokesman for the province Baz Mohammad Sarwary told AFP, adding that four were injured. There were also reports of major destruction in Muqr district in the province, however details of casualties are not yet known, Sarwary said. The majority of the homes and buildings built in impoverished Afghanistan are of poor quality. Hence, whenever an earthquake occurs, it leaves behind a trail of destruction and casualties. Qadis is already reeling from a devastating drought, and has been receiving international aid for the past 20 years. In 2015, nearly 280 people were killed when a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake centred in the mountain range ripped across South Asia, with the bulk of the deaths in Pakistan. In that disaster, 12 young Afghan girls were crushed to death in a stampede as they tried to flee their shaking school building. Afghanistan is already in the grip of a humanitarian disaster, worsened by the Taliban takeover of the country in August when Western countries froze international aid and access to assets held abroad. The United Nations estimates nearly 23 million Afghans — about 55 per cent of the population — are facing extreme levels of hunger, with nearly 9 million at risk of famine as winter takes hold. (With inputs from agencies)

Earthquake jolts western Afghanistan, 26 people killed, says official

A day after the&nbsp;powerful&nbsp;7.2-magnitude&nbsp;earthquake ravaged Haiti, the&nbsp;death toll&nbsp;soared to&nbsp;1,297 on Sunday.&nbsp;The quake had razed&nbsp;thousands of structures in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;rescue efforts are now being undertaken by the personnel in the country.&nbsp;A&nbsp;tropical storm is also heading towards&nbsp;Haiti to make matters worse.&nbsp;

At least 5,700 people have also got injured in the Caribbean nation.&nbsp;Thousands more have been&nbsp;displaced due to the destruction. Several homes have either been&nbsp;destroyed or damaged.&nbsp;

In numerous&nbsp;areas,&nbsp;survivors have been forced to live&nbsp;out in the open.&nbsp;On Sunday, people could also be seen&nbsp;lining up to buy whatever little was available at a local street market.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;coming of Tropical Depression Grace, which may&nbsp;reach Haiti on Monday night, has left several residents worried.&nbsp;The&nbsp;tropical storm was although demoted&nbsp;to a depression on&nbsp;Sunday by&nbsp;the US National Hurricane Centre.&nbsp;It may&nbsp;bring heavy rain, flooding and landslides.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;earthquake struck at a crucial time when the&nbsp;country was&nbsp;already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and a wave of gang violence.&nbsp;

On Sunday,&nbsp;Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Haiti. He also prayed for the victims and wished encouragement for survivors. In order to&nbsp;help the people of Haiti&nbsp;in these difficult times,&nbsp;the pope called for the solidarity of the international community.&nbsp;&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden&nbsp;authorised&nbsp;an immediate response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power to oversee the US effort to help Haiti.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A day after the powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake ravaged Haiti, the death toll soared to 1,297 on Sunday. The quake had razed thousands of structures in the country.

A day after the powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake ravaged Haiti, the death toll soared to 1,297 on Sunday. The quake had razed thousands of structures in the country. The rescue efforts are now being undertaken by the personnel in the country. A tropical storm is also heading towards Haiti to make matters worse. At least 5,700 people have also got injured in the Caribbean nation. Thousands more have been displaced due to the destruction. Several homes have either been destroyed or damaged. In numerous areas, survivors have been forced to live out in the open. On Sunday, people could also be seen lining up to buy whatever little was available at a local street market. The coming of Tropical Depression Grace, which may reach Haiti on Monday night, has left several residents worried. The tropical storm was although demoted to a depression on Sunday by the US National Hurricane Centre. It may bring heavy rain, flooding and landslides. The earthquake struck at a crucial time when the country was already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and a wave of gang violence. On Sunday, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Haiti. He also prayed for the victims and wished encouragement for survivors. In order to help the people of Haiti in these difficult times, the pope called for the solidarity of the international community. US President Joe Biden authorised an immediate response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power to oversee the US effort to help Haiti. (With inputs from agencies)

Quake death toll surges to 1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue 

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes.&nbsp;

In the Caribbean island nation, people rushed onto streets to seek safety and help others, who are trapped in the rubble of collapsed hotels, homes and other structures.&nbsp;

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the quake was about 125 km west of Port-au-Prince. &nbsp;

The earthquake struck the southwestern part of the nation on Saturday. The aftershocks were felt throughout the day and late into the night. &nbsp;

The residents of Haiti are already witnessing a tough time due to coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and deepening poverty.&nbsp;

Many people are now living on streets as several residents have become homeless after the destruction of their homes while others are worrying about their safety in the fractured homes. &nbsp;

Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with incoming patients. He also declared a one-month state of emergency for the whole country.&nbsp;

As Tropical Storm Grace may reach Haiti late on Monday or early Tuesday, the situation could worsen by early next week. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes.

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes. In the Caribbean island nation, people rushed onto streets to seek safety and help others, who are trapped in the rubble of collapsed hotels, homes and other structures. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the quake was about 125 km west of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake struck the southwestern part of the nation on Saturday. The aftershocks were felt throughout the day and late into the night. The residents of Haiti are already witnessing a tough time due to coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and deepening poverty. Many people are now living on streets as several residents have become homeless after the destruction of their homes while others are worrying about their safety in the fractured homes. Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with incoming patients. He also declared a one-month state of emergency for the whole country. As Tropical Storm Grace may reach Haiti late on Monday or early Tuesday, the situation could worsen by early next week. (With inputs from agencies)

After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude&nbsp;struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.&nbsp;

The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-turmoil-haiti-gets-hit-with-deadly-quake-killing-over-300-405544">After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300</a>&nbsp;

The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes.

Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured.

Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible.

After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake.

According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full.

Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti."

"The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted.

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I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. 
&nbsp; 
My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. 
&nbsp; 
The <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> is working to support rescue and relief efforts.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) <a href="https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1426607727606910977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients.

In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts.

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Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event."

As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic.

Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute</a>

Merely a&nbsp;month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors. The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital. Also read | After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes. Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured. Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible. After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake. According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full. Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti." "The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted. I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. The @UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts. — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 14, 2021 × According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients. In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts. Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event." As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic. Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods. Also read | Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute Merely a month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

Haiti Earthquake: Nation searches for survivors, rescue efforts underway as at least 304 killed

In Pics | Haiti searches for survivors after quake kills over 300 people

In a series, over 20 earthquakes struck the east coast of Taiwan&nbsp;on Wednesday morning. The earthquakes are likely to have caused some damage.&nbsp;

22 quakes were reported by the Central Weather Bureau for&nbsp;over two hours,&nbsp;starting at 6:52 am.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;first&nbsp;quake, which&nbsp;was&nbsp;also&nbsp;the&nbsp;largest&nbsp;with a magnitude of 5.2,&nbsp;struck at a relatively shallow depth of 5.9 kilometers. The other&nbsp;quakes&nbsp;ranged from&nbsp;the&nbsp;magnitude 3 to 5.&nbsp;

Taiwan Apple Daily news website&nbsp;posted a photograph, showing the&nbsp;remains of a second floor wall above a storefront that had fallen&nbsp;on&nbsp;to the street and crumbled.&nbsp;&nbsp;

These&nbsp;quakes&nbsp;occurred&nbsp;in Hualien County around the midpoint of the island’s east coast.&nbsp;

Last week,&nbsp;an earthquake occurred off the Taiwan coast, which&nbsp;shook&nbsp;the&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;capital,&nbsp;Taipei.&nbsp;

The country's weather bureau said the quake with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale took place on the east coast.&nbsp;

There were no reports of any casualties. The underwater quake took place at a depth of 7.6 km, the weather bureau said.&nbsp;

Hualien city measured the highest intensity including&nbsp;Yanliao&nbsp;village.&nbsp;

There have been a number of earthquakes reported in Hualien since June. On June 28, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit Hualien County in eastern Taiwan with another reported on June 23 measuring 4.9 in the same area.&nbsp;

On June 11, at least three earthquakes had hit&nbsp;Shoufeng&nbsp;in Hualien with one recorded at magnitude 5.3 at a depth of 11.2 km.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Taiwan has been susceptible to earthquakes for a long time with one the worst occurring in 1999 which measured 7.3 on the Richter scale. The earthquake shattered several buildings and led to the death of over 2,000 people.&nbsp;

The Taiwan government has set up several early warning systems across the country including in schools and in high-risk areas.&nbsp;

(With inputs from&nbsp;agencies)&nbsp;

In a series, over 20 earthquakes struck the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning. The earthquakes are likely to have caused some damage. 22 quakes were reported by the Central Weather Bureau for over two hours, starting at 6:52 am.

In a series, over 20 earthquakes struck the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning. The earthquakes are likely to have caused some damage. 22 quakes were reported by the Central Weather Bureau for over two hours, starting at 6:52 am. The first quake, which was also the largest with a magnitude of 5.2, struck at a relatively shallow depth of 5.9 kilometers. The other quakes ranged from the magnitude 3 to 5. Taiwan Apple Daily news website posted a photograph, showing the remains of a second floor wall above a storefront that had fallen on to the street and crumbled. These quakes occurred in Hualien County around the midpoint of the island’s east coast. Last week, an earthquake occurred off the Taiwan coast, which shook the buildings in the capital, Taipei. The country's weather bureau said the quake with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale took place on the east coast. There were no reports of any casualties. The underwater quake took place at a depth of 7.6 km, the weather bureau said. Hualien city measured the highest intensity including Yanliao village. There have been a number of earthquakes reported in Hualien since June. On June 28, a 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit Hualien County in eastern Taiwan with another reported on June 23 measuring 4.9 in the same area. On June 11, at least three earthquakes had hit Shoufeng in Hualien with one recorded at magnitude 5.3 at a depth of 11.2 km. Taiwan has been susceptible to earthquakes for a long time with one the worst occurring in 1999 which measured 7.3 on the Richter scale. The earthquake shattered several buildings and led to the death of over 2,000 people. The Taiwan government has set up several early warning systems across the country including in schools and in high-risk areas. (With inputs from agencies)

Eastern Taiwan hit by series of earthquakes causing some damage  

A series of strong earthquakes rattled northwest and southwest China, leaving at least two people dead, local officials and seismologists said early Saturday.

Both Qinghai province in the northwest on the Tibetan plateau and Yunnan province in southwestern China are areas prone to earthquakes. And both tremors were shallow, meaning they generally cause more damage.&nbsp;

The Yunnan quake, which had a magnitude of 6.1, struck first at 9:48 pm Friday (1348 GMT) near the city of Dali, a popular tourist destination, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by at least two aftershocks, USGS said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-skyscraper-wobbles-spreads-panic-in-downtown-shenzhen-385860" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-skyscraper-wobbles-spreads-panic-in-downtown-shenzhen-385860&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj5vJTN0dzwAhXtzTgGHYSwA6cQFjABegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0OUObEHEB1B1PP-VUxaaCD" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-skyscraper-wobbles-spreads-panic-in-downtown-shenzhen-385860" target="_blank">China skyscraper wobbles, spreads panic in downtown Shenzhen</a>

Two people were confirmed dead in the mountainous area, local officials said in a statement. Later on, state news agency Xinhua said at least 22 others had been injured.

Then a few hours later, at 1804 GMT, more than 1,200 kilometres away, a 7.3-magnitude quake jolted China's sparsely populated Qinghai province in the northwest, followed by an aftershock.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the remote area. Xinhua said the epicentre was located in Maduo County, and that officials believed only "a small number of houses" would be damaged.

Emergency personnel and disaster relief teams were sent to both sites, the agency reported.

In Yunnan, the provincial government said some buildings had collapsed and others had been damaged, and that the "disaster situation was undergoing further verification."

More than 20,000 people have been evacuated, it said. More than 100,000 people live in the area, the vast majority of them in rural communities.&nbsp;

Local media published videos showing ceiling lamps swinging and vases falling off shelves, as well as groups of people who had run outdoors after the quake.

The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) warned people to "stay away from buildings" in a post on the Twitter-like Weibo platform.

The quake monitor said the earthquake followed a series of smaller quakes less than an hour before.

China is regularly hit by earthquakes, especially in its mountainous western and southwestern regions.

A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake in southwest Sichuan province in 2008 left 87,000 people dead or missing.

In February 2003, a powerful 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Xinjiang and caused significant damage.

In 2010, a 6.9-magnitude quake in Qinghai left 3,000 people dead or missing.

And in October 2014, hundreds of people were injured and more than 100,000 displaced after a 6.0-magnitude tremor hit Yunnan, close to China's borders with Myanmar and Laos.

A series of strong earthquakes rattled northwest and southwest China, leaving at least two people dead, local officials and seismologists said early Saturday. Both Qinghai province in the northwest on the Tibetan plateau and Yunnan province in southwestern China are areas prone to earthquakes.

A series of strong earthquakes rattled northwest and southwest China, leaving at least two people dead, local officials and seismologists said early Saturday. Both Qinghai province in the northwest on the Tibetan plateau and Yunnan province in southwestern China are areas prone to earthquakes. And both tremors were shallow, meaning they generally cause more damage. The Yunnan quake, which had a magnitude of 6.1, struck first at 9:48 pm Friday (1348 GMT) near the city of Dali, a popular tourist destination, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by at least two aftershocks, USGS said. Also read | China skyscraper wobbles, spreads panic in downtown Shenzhen Two people were confirmed dead in the mountainous area, local officials said in a statement. Later on, state news agency Xinhua said at least 22 others had been injured. Then a few hours later, at 1804 GMT, more than 1,200 kilometres away, a 7.3-magnitude quake jolted China's sparsely populated Qinghai province in the northwest, followed by an aftershock. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the remote area. Xinhua said the epicentre was located in Maduo County, and that officials believed only "a small number of houses" would be damaged. Emergency personnel and disaster relief teams were sent to both sites, the agency reported. In Yunnan, the provincial government said some buildings had collapsed and others had been damaged, and that the "disaster situation was undergoing further verification." More than 20,000 people have been evacuated, it said. More than 100,000 people live in the area, the vast majority of them in rural communities. Local media published videos showing ceiling lamps swinging and vases falling off shelves, as well as groups of people who had run outdoors after the quake. The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) warned people to "stay away from buildings" in a post on the Twitter-like Weibo platform. The quake monitor said the earthquake followed a series of smaller quakes less than an hour before. China is regularly hit by earthquakes, especially in its mountainous western and southwestern regions. A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake in southwest Sichuan province in 2008 left 87,000 people dead or missing. In February 2003, a powerful 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Xinjiang and caused significant damage. In 2010, a 6.9-magnitude quake in Qinghai left 3,000 people dead or missing. And in October 2014, hundreds of people were injured and more than 100,000 displaced after a 6.0-magnitude tremor hit Yunnan, close to China's borders with Myanmar and Laos.

Strong quakes rattle two regions of China

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday inaugurated the newly-constructed historic Dharahara tower that collapsed in a powerful earthquake in 2015, a day before the disaster's sixth anniversary.&nbsp;

The 19th-century, 11-storey tower, a major tourist attraction, was among the buildings, which collapsed in the 7.8-magnitude quake that hit the country on April 25, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring about 22,000 others.&nbsp;

Oli inaugurated the new 22-storey, 84-meter white tower, that was built two and a half centuries ago as per the orders of then Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari, by showering flowers from the top-floor balcony and declaring it open to the general public.&nbsp;

The newly-built tower provides a spectacular panoramic view of the Kathmandu city.&nbsp;

The old tower had a spiral staircase and was built by using mud, bricks and wood, while the new structure is made of concrete, iron and cement.&nbsp;

The tower had already been rebuilt once, after a 1934 earthquake and is part of a huge national reconstruction programme.&nbsp;

In December 2019, Oli laid the foundation stone of the new tower that has been built in the same architectural style as the old one but with a larger diameter and by using modern technology.&nbsp;

The new tower also has two elevators along with the traditional stairs leading up to the top floor. A garden, museum, colorful fountain, an exhibition hall, underground parking and shopping complex would also be built on its premises.&nbsp;

Its estimated cost is Nepali Rupees 3.5 billion. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday inaugurated the newly-constructed historic Dharahara tower that collapsed in a powerful earthquake in 2015, a day before the disaster's sixth anniversary.

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Saturday inaugurated the newly-constructed historic Dharahara tower that collapsed in a powerful earthquake in 2015, a day before the disaster's sixth anniversary. The 19th-century, 11-storey tower, a major tourist attraction, was among the buildings, which collapsed in the 7.8-magnitude quake that hit the country on April 25, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring about 22,000 others. Oli inaugurated the new 22-storey, 84-meter white tower, that was built two and a half centuries ago as per the orders of then Queen Lalit Tripura Sundari, by showering flowers from the top-floor balcony and declaring it open to the general public. The newly-built tower provides a spectacular panoramic view of the Kathmandu city. The old tower had a spiral staircase and was built by using mud, bricks and wood, while the new structure is made of concrete, iron and cement. The tower had already been rebuilt once, after a 1934 earthquake and is part of a huge national reconstruction programme. In December 2019, Oli laid the foundation stone of the new tower that has been built in the same architectural style as the old one but with a larger diameter and by using modern technology. The new tower also has two elevators along with the traditional stairs leading up to the top floor. A garden, museum, colorful fountain, an exhibition hall, underground parking and shopping complex would also be built on its premises. Its estimated cost is Nepali Rupees 3.5 billion. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Oli reopens Nepal's historic quake-hit Dharahara tower 

An earthquake of 7.0 magnitude struck off the eastern coast of Japan late Saturday.

No tsunami warning was, however, issued, US and Japanese authorities said.

The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of 54 kilometres (33 miles) in the Pacific, off Fukushima -- near the epicentre of a 2011 killer quake which triggered a towering tsunami and killed more than 18,000.

On Friday, strong tremors were felt in several parts of northern India including the capital city of New Delhi and as far as Srinagar. The quake also jolted parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Noida, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

Kyodo news agency reported at least four people injured in the quake, but gave no further details. There were no immediate reports of significant damage.

Saturday's quake was followed by aftershocks, including a 4.7 magnitude jolt.

The government said around 950,000 homes lost power throughout the affected region.

Images shown online and posted on social media showed broken glass at a shop and items spilled off the shelves at a supermarket.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/earthquake-measuring-63-jolts-tajikistan-tremors-felt-in-delhi-and-northern-india-363261">Also read |&nbsp;Earthquake measuring 6.3 jolts Tajikistan, tremors felt in Delhi and northern India</a>

The National Centre for Seismology said an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit Tajikistan at 10:31 pm, and tremors were felt in northern India.

An earthquake of 7.0 magnitude struck off the eastern coast of Japan late Saturday. No tsunami warning was, however, issued, US and Japanese authorities said. The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of 54 kilometres (33 miles) in the Pacific, off Fukushima -- near the epicentre of a 2011 killer quake which triggered a towering tsunami and killed more than 18,000.

An earthquake of 7.0 magnitude struck off the eastern coast of Japan late Saturday. No tsunami warning was, however, issued, US and Japanese authorities said. The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of 54 kilometres (33 miles) in the Pacific, off Fukushima -- near the epicentre of a 2011 killer quake which triggered a towering tsunami and killed more than 18,000. On Friday, strong tremors were felt in several parts of northern India including the capital city of New Delhi and as far as Srinagar. The quake also jolted parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Noida, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. Kyodo news agency reported at least four people injured in the quake, but gave no further details. There were no immediate reports of significant damage. Saturday's quake was followed by aftershocks, including a 4.7 magnitude jolt. The government said around 950,000 homes lost power throughout the affected region. Images shown online and posted on social media showed broken glass at a shop and items spilled off the shelves at a supermarket. Also read | Earthquake measuring 6.3 jolts Tajikistan, tremors felt in Delhi and northern India The National Centre for Seismology said an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit Tajikistan at 10:31 pm, and tremors were felt in northern India.

Earthquake of 7.0 magnitude strikes eastern Japan, no tsunami alert

Strong tremors were felt in several parts of northern India including the capital city of New Delhi and as far as Srinagar on Friday.

As per the India Metrological Department (IMD), the epicentre of the earthquake was in Tajikistan.

The National Centre for Seismology said an earthquake&nbsp;of magnitude 6.3 hit&nbsp;Tajikistan at 10:31 pm, and tremors were felt in northern India.

The quake also jolted parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Noida, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand.

There were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property.

The GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck the Tajikistan-Xinjiang border region late on Friday.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
M5.7 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquake?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#earthquake</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%B7%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D1%8F%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#землетрясение</a>) strikes 23 km W of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Murghob?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Murghob</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tajikistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tajikistan</a>) 17 min ago. Updated map of its effects: <a href="https://t.co/qnh7YFRx6X">pic.twitter.com/qnh7YFRx6X</a>
— EMSC (@LastQuake) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastQuake/status/1360277022153523204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Tremors were also felt in Pakistan -- capital Islamabad and major cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab provinces and Pakistan occupied-Kashmir.

Pakistan geologically overlaps the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates and is a earthquake-prone zone. The Chaman Fault poses the biggest threat of quakes to the country.

Strong tremors were felt in several parts of northern India including the capital city of New Delhi and as far as Srinagar on Friday. As per the India Metrological Department (IMD), the epicentre of the earthquake was in Tajikistan.

Strong tremors were felt in several parts of northern India including the capital city of New Delhi and as far as Srinagar on Friday. As per the India Metrological Department (IMD), the epicentre of the earthquake was in Tajikistan. The National Centre for Seismology said an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit Tajikistan at 10:31 pm, and tremors were felt in northern India. The quake also jolted parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Noida, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. There were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property. The GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck the Tajikistan-Xinjiang border region late on Friday. M5.7 #earthquake (#землетрясение) strikes 23 km W of #Murghob (#Tajikistan) 17 min ago. Updated map of its effects: pic.twitter.com/qnh7YFRx6X — EMSC (@LastQuake) February 12, 2021 × Tremors were also felt in Pakistan -- capital Islamabad and major cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab provinces and Pakistan occupied-Kashmir. Pakistan geologically overlaps the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates and is a earthquake-prone zone. The Chaman Fault poses the biggest threat of quakes to the country.

Earthquake measuring 6.3 jolts Tajikistan, tremors felt in Delhi and northern India

An aftershock hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on Saturday as rescue workers searched for people trapped under rubble after an earthquake killed at least 45 people and injured hundreds.

Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, however, said no damage or casualties were reported from the Magnitude 5.0 aftershock in the West Sulawesi districts of Mamuju and Majene a day after the Magnitude 6.2 earthquake.

On Saturday, the search continued for victims who could still be trapped under rubble.

Friday’s quake and its aftershocks damaged more than 300 homes and two hotels, as well as flattening a hospital and the office of a regional governor, where authorities told Reuters several people had been trapped. More than 820 people were injured and about 15,000 people have been evacuated.

Access to the neighbouring city of Makassar remains cut off.

The authorities did not trigger a tsunami warning.

Indonesia often experiences volcanic activity due to its position on the &nbsp;Pacific "Ring of Fire". In 2018, a powerful earthquake leading to a tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island had led the death of at least 4,300 people.

An aftershock hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on Saturday as rescue workers searched for people trapped under rubble after an earthquake killed at least 45 people and injured hundreds.

An aftershock hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island on Saturday as rescue workers searched for people trapped under rubble after an earthquake killed at least 45 people and injured hundreds. Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, however, said no damage or casualties were reported from the Magnitude 5.0 aftershock in the West Sulawesi districts of Mamuju and Majene a day after the Magnitude 6.2 earthquake. On Saturday, the search continued for victims who could still be trapped under rubble. Friday’s quake and its aftershocks damaged more than 300 homes and two hotels, as well as flattening a hospital and the office of a regional governor, where authorities told Reuters several people had been trapped. More than 820 people were injured and about 15,000 people have been evacuated. Access to the neighbouring city of Makassar remains cut off. The authorities did not trigger a tsunami warning. Indonesia often experiences volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire". In 2018, a powerful earthquake leading to a tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island had led the death of at least 4,300 people.

Aftershock rocks Indonesia quake zone as search continues

A strong earthquake hit southern Mexico on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the center of the capital Mexico City hundreds of miles away, and sending people fleeing their homes into the streets.

The US&nbsp;Geological Survey said the quake's magnitude was 7.4, revised down from an earlier estimate of 7.7. The earthquake was centered in the Pacific coastal state of Oaxaca.

Related story:&nbsp;<a href="/world/more-than-17000-die-in-mexico-from-coronavirus-305959" hreflang="en">More than 17,000 die in Mexico from coronavirus</a>

Reuters witnesses in Mexico City saw no initial signs of injuries or damage.&nbsp;

Quakes of such size can be devastating. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck central Mexico in 2017 killed 355 people in the capital and the surrounding states.&nbsp;

Situated at the intersection of three tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. The capital is seen as particularly vulnerable due to its location on top of an ancient lake bed.

A strong earthquake hit southern Mexico on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the center of the capital Mexico City hundreds of miles away, and sending people fleeing their homes into the streets.

A strong earthquake hit southern Mexico on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the center of the capital Mexico City hundreds of miles away, and sending people fleeing their homes into the streets. The US Geological Survey said the quake's magnitude was 7.4, revised down from an earlier estimate of 7.7. The earthquake was centered in the Pacific coastal state of Oaxaca. Related story: More than 17,000 die in Mexico from coronavirus Reuters witnesses in Mexico City saw no initial signs of injuries or damage. Quakes of such size can be devastating. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck central Mexico in 2017 killed 355 people in the capital and the surrounding states. Situated at the intersection of three tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. The capital is seen as particularly vulnerable due to its location on top of an ancient lake bed.

Quake measuring 7.7 hits southern Mexico, people run into streets in capital

A powerful earthquake shook the delivery room of a private hospital in Turkey's Malatya, minutes after a baby was born on Friday (January 24), video shows. The delivery room of a private hospital in Turkey's Malatya shakes as a midwife cleans a newborn baby.

Baby born as earthquake rocks Turkey

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the earthquake, which also shook Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte and among the most populous cities in the country.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck 69 km&nbsp;north-northwest of General Santos, Mindanao at 1137 GMT. The epicentre was about 80 km southwest of central Davao.

"We felt a very strong jolt and there was a blackout. I saw people rushing down. We were panicking, heading to the exit," said Naru Guarda Cabaddu, a hotel consultant visiting Kidapawan City, between the epicentre of the quake and Davao.

The quake struck at a depth of 14 km.

"So far, we are on rapid assessment mode. There's no major damage based on initial report," Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista told CNN Philippines channel. "No reports have come in that we have casualties."

Renato Solidum, head of the Philippines seismic agency told ANC news channel there was a chance of aftershocks after the quake, considered strong and capable of causing severe damage.

"Aftershocks can happen. Some can be felt most likely in low intensities. But we cannot remove the possibility of similar intensities that can be felt in the epicentral area," he said.

The Philippines is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the earthquake, which also shook Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte and among the most populous cities in the country. The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck 69 km north-northwest of General Santos, Mindanao at 1137 GMT. The epicentre was about 80 km southwest of central Davao. "We felt a very strong jolt and there was a blackout. I saw people rushing down. We were panicking, heading to the exit," said Naru Guarda Cabaddu, a hotel consultant visiting Kidapawan City, between the epicentre of the quake and Davao. The quake struck at a depth of 14 km. "So far, we are on rapid assessment mode. There's no major damage based on initial report," Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista told CNN Philippines channel. "No reports have come in that we have casualties." Renato Solidum, head of the Philippines seismic agency told ANC news channel there was a chance of aftershocks after the quake, considered strong and capable of causing severe damage. "Aftershocks can happen. Some can be felt most likely in low intensities. But we cannot remove the possibility of similar intensities that can be felt in the epicentral area," he said. The Philippines is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes.

Strong magnitude-6.4 earthquake hits Philippines' Mindanao

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands rose to 30 on Sunday, including several toddlers, the disaster agency said.

On Thursday, terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them when the 6.5-magnitude tremor struck, sparking landslides that buried at least one of the victims.

Among the confirmed dead were three young children, with many people killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city.

The region's governor has declared a state of emergency until October 9, the agency said.

"As of Sunday morning, 30 people died and 156 were injured," said national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo.

On Friday, the agency had revised down the official death toll of 23 to 19 after officials realised some of the deceased has been double-counted.

At least 25,000 people had to flee because their houses were damaged by the strong jolt, Wibowo said previously.

Hundreds of houses, offices, schools and public facilities were also been damaged in the disaster. Authorities have set up emergency tents and public kitchens for the evacuees in several districts.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 37 kilometres (23 miles) northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at a depth of 29 kilometres.

The Southeast Asian archipelago is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth.

It experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide.

Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing.

In 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands rose to 30 on Sunday, including several toddlers, the disaster agency said.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands rose to 30 on Sunday, including several toddlers, the disaster agency said. On Thursday, terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them when the 6.5-magnitude tremor struck, sparking landslides that buried at least one of the victims. Among the confirmed dead were three young children, with many people killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city. The region's governor has declared a state of emergency until October 9, the agency said. "As of Sunday morning, 30 people died and 156 were injured," said national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo. On Friday, the agency had revised down the official death toll of 23 to 19 after officials realised some of the deceased has been double-counted. At least 25,000 people had to flee because their houses were damaged by the strong jolt, Wibowo said previously. Hundreds of houses, offices, schools and public facilities were also been damaged in the disaster. Authorities have set up emergency tents and public kitchens for the evacuees in several districts. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 37 kilometres (23 miles) northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at a depth of 29 kilometres. The Southeast Asian archipelago is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth. It experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing. In 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia.

Indonesia quake death toll rises to 30: Government

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands has risen to 23, the disaster agency said Friday, as more than 15,000 people were evacuated to shelters.

Terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them with the 6.5-magnitude tremor sparking landslides that buried at least one victim on Thursday.

Among the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/infant-among-at-least-20-killed-in-indonesian-quake-officials-252221">confirmed dead was an infant</a>, with many killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city.

"The total number of people who died is 23," national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said in a statement.&nbsp;

More than 100 people were also injured and at least 15,000 people had to evacuate because their houses were damaged by the strong jolt, Wibowo said.

Hundreds of houses, offices, schools and public facilities have also been damaged in the disaster. Authorities have set up emergency tents and public kitchen for the evacuees in several districts.&nbsp;

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 37 kilometres (23 miles) northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at a depth of 29 kilometres.

The Southeast Asian archipelago is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth.&nbsp;

It experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide.&nbsp;

Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing.&nbsp;

Nearly 60,000 people are still living in makeshift accommodation nearly a year after the double disaster, the Red Cross said this week.&nbsp;

In 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands has risen to 23, the disaster agency said Friday, as more than 15,000 people were evacuated to shelters.

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands has risen to 23, the disaster agency said Friday, as more than 15,000 people were evacuated to shelters. Terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them with the 6.5-magnitude tremor sparking landslides that buried at least one victim on Thursday. Among the confirmed dead was an infant, with many killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city. "The total number of people who died is 23," national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said in a statement. More than 100 people were also injured and at least 15,000 people had to evacuate because their houses were damaged by the strong jolt, Wibowo said. Hundreds of houses, offices, schools and public facilities have also been damaged in the disaster. Authorities have set up emergency tents and public kitchen for the evacuees in several districts. The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 37 kilometres (23 miles) northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at a depth of 29 kilometres. The Southeast Asian archipelago is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth. It experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing. Nearly 60,000 people are still living in makeshift accommodation nearly a year after the double disaster, the Red Cross said this week. In 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia.

Indonesia earthquake toll rises to 23

A shallow tremor sent terrified people running into the streets in northeastern Pakistan on Thursday, days after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/death-toll-rises-to-37-in-pakistan-earthquake-as-families-bury-loved-ones-252005">powerful quake killed 38 people </a>in the same area and destroyed infrastructure and roads.&nbsp;

An AFP reporter in the city of Mirpur in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir described the ground shaking, while Pakistan's top meteorologist, Muhammad Riaz, said the epicentre of the 4.4-magnitude tremor was 12 kilometres (seven miles) deep.

"It's hell. I am running to save my life," Mohammad Bilal, told AFP moments after the tremor.

"I thought most of the building would have tumbled down," said Sagheer Ahmad. "Allah is very kind to us."

The US Geological Survey put the quake at 4.7 magnitude and 10 kilometres deep, adding that it had struck just four kilometres outside of Mirpur.&nbsp;

City residents huddled in the streets, some still barefoot, others reciting verses from the Koran. Some patients were also evacuated from a nearby hospital.

The tremor came as rescuers continued to pick through toppled buildings to reach victims from Tuesday's earthquake.&nbsp;

Pakistan straddles the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making the country susceptible to earthquakes.

In October 2015, a 7.5-magnitude quake in Pakistan and Afghanistan killed almost 400 people, flattening buildings in rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts.

The country was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake on October 8, 2005, that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A shallow tremor sent terrified people running into the streets in northeastern Pakistan on Thursday, days after a powerful quake killed 38 people in the same area and destroyed infrastructure and roads.

A shallow tremor sent terrified people running into the streets in northeastern Pakistan on Thursday, days after a powerful quake killed 38 people in the same area and destroyed infrastructure and roads. An AFP reporter in the city of Mirpur in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir described the ground shaking, while Pakistan's top meteorologist, Muhammad Riaz, said the epicentre of the 4.4-magnitude tremor was 12 kilometres (seven miles) deep. "It's hell. I am running to save my life," Mohammad Bilal, told AFP moments after the tremor. "I thought most of the building would have tumbled down," said Sagheer Ahmad. "Allah is very kind to us." The US Geological Survey put the quake at 4.7 magnitude and 10 kilometres deep, adding that it had struck just four kilometres outside of Mirpur. City residents huddled in the streets, some still barefoot, others reciting verses from the Koran. Some patients were also evacuated from a nearby hospital. The tremor came as rescuers continued to pick through toppled buildings to reach victims from Tuesday's earthquake. Pakistan straddles the boundary where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making the country susceptible to earthquakes. In October 2015, a 7.5-magnitude quake in Pakistan and Afghanistan killed almost 400 people, flattening buildings in rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts. The country was also hit by a 7.6-magnitude quake on October 8, 2005, that killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Shallow tremor rocks quake-hit area in Pakistan days after 38 killed

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 shook northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring 100, government and police officials said.

Media photos and video showed a collapsed building and cracks in roads large enough to swallow cars in Mirpur, a town in Pakistan.

District commissioner Mohammad Tayyab said eight people were killed, including three children. District police chief Irfan Saleem said more than 100 more suffered injuries.

"I am in the hospital right now and I am being told that several of the injured people are in a critical condition," he told Reuters by phone.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted that army troops with aviation and medical support teams were dispatched.

The quake struck 14 miles (23 km) north of Jhelum, Pakistan, at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

Most damage was in an area between Jhelum and Mirpur, said the chief of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority, Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal.

Jhelum is located in northeastern Pakistan roughly 120 km southeast of Islamabad.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 shook northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring 100, government and police officials said. Media photos and video showed a collapsed building and cracks in roads large enough to swallow cars in Mirpur, a town in Pakistan.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 shook northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring 100, government and police officials said. Media photos and video showed a collapsed building and cracks in roads large enough to swallow cars in Mirpur, a town in Pakistan. District commissioner Mohammad Tayyab said eight people were killed, including three children. District police chief Irfan Saleem said more than 100 more suffered injuries. "I am in the hospital right now and I am being told that several of the injured people are in a critical condition," he told Reuters by phone. Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, tweeted that army troops with aviation and medical support teams were dispatched. The quake struck 14 miles (23 km) north of Jhelum, Pakistan, at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported. Most damage was in an area between Jhelum and Mirpur, said the chief of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority, Lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal. Jhelum is located in northeastern Pakistan roughly 120 km southeast of Islamabad.

Eight dead, 100 hurt in 5.8 magnitude Pakistan quake

A powerful undersea earthquake that struck off the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java has killed four people and damaged hundreds of buildings, the nation's disaster agency said on Saturday (August 3). Four people died, some of heart attack or fatigue, as people rushed away from the coastline, Agus Wibowo, spokesman of the disaster mitigation agency told a news briefing. Four others were injured, and more than 200 buildings were damaged by the quake, he said. Wibowo urged people stay in the coastal area to be alert as he warned that a study by Indonesia's geophysics agency showed there is a potential quake of 8.8 magnitude in the area that would trigger a 20-metre high tsunami, though he added that no one can predict when it would happen. He also urged people to fix houses that had bad foundations. Indonesia is situated on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which is frequently hit by earthquakes that are sometimes accompanied by tsunamis.

Indonesians assess damage after quake kills four

A 5.3-magnitude quake in southeast Albania Saturday injured four people and damaged houses, local officials said.

Media reports said four people were hurt in Floq, 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of the city of Korca, which lies 180 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana.

Officials in Korca said the quake had damaged around 60 houses.

According to Albania's Institute of Geosciences, it struck at 6:26 am (0426 GMT) and was followed by seven weaker aftershocks.

A 5.3-magnitude quake in southeast Albania Saturday injured four people and damaged houses, local officials said. Media reports said four people were hurt in Floq, 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of the city of Korca, which lies 180 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana.

A 5.3-magnitude quake in southeast Albania Saturday injured four people and damaged houses, local officials said. Media reports said four people were hurt in Floq, 15 kilometres (10 miles) southeast of the city of Korca, which lies 180 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana. Officials in Korca said the quake had damaged around 60 houses. According to Albania's Institute of Geosciences, it struck at 6:26 am (0426 GMT) and was followed by seven weaker aftershocks.

5.3 magnitude quake in Albania causes injuries, damages houses: Officials

A strong 6.3-magnitude <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rebuilding-lives-after-earthquake-9">earthquake</a> hit southern Japan Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but Japanese authorities said there was no tsunami threat.

The quake struck at 8:48 am (2348 GMT Thursday) in Pacific waters nearly 40 kilometres (25 miles) east-southeast of Miyazaki city at a depth of 24 km, according to the agency.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said there were no worries about tsunami damage.

The weather agency issued an emergency warning when the quake hit, prompting public broadcaster NHK to switch to special programming on the situation in the southern Kyushu region, including Miyazaki.

The initial quake was followed by another, of 5.1 magnitude, at 9:07 am (0007 GMT) in the same area, according to the USGS.

Local media reported no damage in Miyazaki and its surrounding areas.

Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year.

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit southern Japan Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but Japanese authorities said there was no tsunami threat. The quake struck at 8:48 am (2348 GMT Thursday) in Pacific waters nearly 40 kilometres (25 miles) east-southeast of Miyazaki city at a depth of 24 km, according to the agency.

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit southern Japan Friday, the US Geological Survey said, but Japanese authorities said there was no tsunami threat. The quake struck at 8:48 am (2348 GMT Thursday) in Pacific waters nearly 40 kilometres (25 miles) east-southeast of Miyazaki city at a depth of 24 km, according to the agency. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there were no worries about tsunami damage. The weather agency issued an emergency warning when the quake hit, prompting public broadcaster NHK to switch to special programming on the situation in the southern Kyushu region, including Miyazaki. The initial quake was followed by another, of 5.1 magnitude, at 9:07 am (0007 GMT) in the same area, according to the USGS. Local media reported no damage in Miyazaki and its surrounding areas. Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year.

Strong 6.3-magnitude quake hits southern Japan, no tsunami threat

Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for reinforcements in a desperate search for survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi island, as the official death toll rose above 1,200 on Tuesday and looting fuelled fears of lawlessness.

Officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead had come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, while some remote areas have been cut off since Friday's 7.5 magnitude quake triggered tsunami waves.

"There are some main priorities that we must tackle and the first is to evacuate, find and save victims who've not yet been found," Widodo told a government meeting to coordinate disaster recovery efforts on the west coast of Sulawesi.

He said he had ordered the national search and rescue agency to send more police and soldiers into the affected districts, some cut off by destroyed roads, landslides and downed bridges.

The official death toll surged to 1,234, the national disaster agency said. Nearly 800 were seriously injured.

The Red Cross said the situation was "nightmarish" and reports from its workers venturing into one cut-off area, Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, indicated it had been hit "extremely hard".

A video of Donggala, broadcast by the Antara state news agency, showed widespread destruction, including flattened buildings and a ship that had been hurled into port buildings by the tsunami.

"What we need is food, water, medicine, but to up now we’ve got nothing," said an unidentified man standing in ruins.

Four badly hit districts of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago nations five main islands, have a combined population of about 1.4 million.

In Palu, tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet) smashed into the beachfront, while hotels and shopping malls collapsed in ruins. Some neighbourhoods were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid.

About 1,700 houses in one neighbourhood have disappeared beneath the mud, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said.

Before-and-after satellite pictures show a largely built-up neighbourhood just south of Palu's airport seemingly wiped clean of all signs of life by liquefaction.

Among those killed were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said.

Leaving and looting

More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help.

Thousands of people have been streaming out of stricken areas. Commercial airlines have struggled to restore operations at Palu's damaged airport but military aircraft have taken some survivors out. Many more want to leave.

Authorities have said a navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time would help with the evacuation.

The government has ordered aid supplies to be airlifted in but there's little sign of help on Palu's shattered streets and survivors appeared increasingly desperate.

A Reuters news team saw a shop cleared by about 100 people, shouting, scrambling and fighting each other for items including clothes, toiletries, blankets and water.

Many people grabbed diapers while one man clutched a rice cooker as he headed for the door. Non-essential goods were scattered on the floor amid shards of broken glass.

At least 20 police were at the scene but did not intervene. The government has played down fears of looting saying disaster victims could take essential goods and shops would be compensated later.

Indonesia is all too familiar with earthquakes and tsunamis. A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

It has said it would accept offers of international aid, having shunned outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck the island of Lombok.

State port operator Pelindo IV said a ship carrying 50 tonnes of supplies including rice, eggs, noodles, mineral water and baby milk had arrived in Palu on Monday. It was unclear if the aid had been distributed.

'Buried fast'

Power has yet to be restored and aftershocks have rattled jangled nerves. But rescuers in Palu held out hope they could still save lives.

"We suspect there are still some survivors trapped inside," the head of one rescue team, Agus Haryono, told Reuters at the collapsed seven-storey Hotel Roa Roa as he pored over its blueprints.

About 50 people were believed to have been caught inside the hotel when it was brought down. About nine bodies have been recovered from the ruins and three rescued alive.

Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Palu, lorries brought 54 bodies to a mass grave dug in sandy soil.

Most of the bodies had not been claimed, a policeman said, but some relatives came to pay respects to loved ones at the 50-metre (165 ft) trench.

Rosmawati Binti Yahya, 52, was still looking for her missing daughter. But her husband was among the victims laid in the grave.

"It's OK if he's buried in the mass grave, it's better to have him buried fast," she said, as the stench from decomposing bodies filled the air.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for reinforcements in a desperate search for survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi island, as the official death toll rose above 1,200 on Tuesday and looting fuelled fears of lawlessness.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for reinforcements in a desperate search for survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi island, as the official death toll rose above 1,200 on Tuesday and looting fuelled fears of lawlessness. Officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead had come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, while some remote areas have been cut off since Friday's 7.5 magnitude quake triggered tsunami waves. "There are some main priorities that we must tackle and the first is to evacuate, find and save victims who've not yet been found," Widodo told a government meeting to coordinate disaster recovery efforts on the west coast of Sulawesi. He said he had ordered the national search and rescue agency to send more police and soldiers into the affected districts, some cut off by destroyed roads, landslides and downed bridges. The official death toll surged to 1,234, the national disaster agency said. Nearly 800 were seriously injured. The Red Cross said the situation was "nightmarish" and reports from its workers venturing into one cut-off area, Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, indicated it had been hit "extremely hard". A video of Donggala, broadcast by the Antara state news agency, showed widespread destruction, including flattened buildings and a ship that had been hurled into port buildings by the tsunami. "What we need is food, water, medicine, but to up now we’ve got nothing," said an unidentified man standing in ruins. Four badly hit districts of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago nations five main islands, have a combined population of about 1.4 million. In Palu, tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet) smashed into the beachfront, while hotels and shopping malls collapsed in ruins. Some neighbourhoods were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid. About 1,700 houses in one neighbourhood have disappeared beneath the mud, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said. Before-and-after satellite pictures show a largely built-up neighbourhood just south of Palu's airport seemingly wiped clean of all signs of life by liquefaction. Among those killed were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said. Leaving and looting More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help. Thousands of people have been streaming out of stricken areas. Commercial airlines have struggled to restore operations at Palu's damaged airport but military aircraft have taken some survivors out. Many more want to leave. Authorities have said a navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time would help with the evacuation. The government has ordered aid supplies to be airlifted in but there's little sign of help on Palu's shattered streets and survivors appeared increasingly desperate. A Reuters news team saw a shop cleared by about 100 people, shouting, scrambling and fighting each other for items including clothes, toiletries, blankets and water. Many people grabbed diapers while one man clutched a rice cooker as he headed for the door. Non-essential goods were scattered on the floor amid shards of broken glass. At least 20 police were at the scene but did not intervene. The government has played down fears of looting saying disaster victims could take essential goods and shops would be compensated later. Indonesia is all too familiar with earthquakes and tsunamis. A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. It has said it would accept offers of international aid, having shunned outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck the island of Lombok. State port operator Pelindo IV said a ship carrying 50 tonnes of supplies including rice, eggs, noodles, mineral water and baby milk had arrived in Palu on Monday. It was unclear if the aid had been distributed. 'Buried fast' Power has yet to be restored and aftershocks have rattled jangled nerves. But rescuers in Palu held out hope they could still save lives. "We suspect there are still some survivors trapped inside," the head of one rescue team, Agus Haryono, told Reuters at the collapsed seven-storey Hotel Roa Roa as he pored over its blueprints. About 50 people were believed to have been caught inside the hotel when it was brought down. About nine bodies have been recovered from the ruins and three rescued alive. Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Palu, lorries brought 54 bodies to a mass grave dug in sandy soil. Most of the bodies had not been claimed, a policeman said, but some relatives came to pay respects to loved ones at the 50-metre (165 ft) trench. Rosmawati Binti Yahya, 52, was still looking for her missing daughter. But her husband was among the victims laid in the grave. "It's OK if he's buried in the mass grave, it's better to have him buried fast," she said, as the stench from decomposing bodies filled the air.

Indonesia steps up hunt for survivors as quake toll passes 1,200

Papua New Guinea sent troops and rescue workers Monday to respond to a powerful earthquake in the Pacific nation&#39;s mountainous interior, with unconfirmed reports of fatalities and warnings of aftershocks and landslides.

Assessment teams were heading to affected areas near the 7.5-magnitude quake&#39;s epicentre, which the US Geological Survey said was some 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Porgera in Enga province.

&quot;It is advisable to stay out of multi-story buildings, to be aware of the potential of landslides, and to be prepared to move to open ground in the event that an aftershock is felt,&quot; the chief secretary to the government, Isaac Lupari, said in a statement.

The tremor hit at a depth of 35 kilometres around 3:45 am local time (1745 GMT Sunday), US seismologists said, adding that there was no tsunami threat.

The region is home to oil and gas production. ExxonMobil PNG said buildings at its Hides Gas Conditioning Plant were damaged but all its staff were &quot;safe and accounted for&quot;, with non-essential employees to be evacuated.

Australian resources company Oil Search said its operations in the area were being shut down as a precaution and for damage assessment, and there were no injuries reported among its staff so far.

Felix Taranu, a seismologist at the Geophysical Observatory in the capital Port Moresby, said social media posts reported blackouts and damage to buildings at Porgera, although he was not aware of any injuries.

He told AFP the quake was felt strongly at Mount Hagen, some 168 kilometres away from the epicentre.

&quot;It will take some time to get assessment teams out there and get a clear picture of what&#39;s happening,&quot; he added.

The director of the Geohazards Management Division, Chris McKee, told AFP he had yet to receive any reports of damage, although there was an unconfirmed report of fatalities.

&quot;There&#39;s an unconfirmed report of some deaths from Mendi (in the Southern Highlands), but I&#39;m not exactly aware of where the fatalities occurred, and this will have to be corroborated,&quot; he said.

The quake&#39;s epicentre is in rugged terrain about 612 kilometres northwest of Port Moresby.

USGS said earlier that some casualties and damage were possible and recent earthquakes in the area had caused landslides.

It said homes in the region were &quot;a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction&quot;.

The impact should be relatively localised, it added.

Earthquakes are common in PNG, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

The tremor hit at a depth of 35 kilometres around 3:45 am local time (1745 GMT Sunday), US seismologists said, adding that there was no tsunami threat.

Papua New Guinea sent troops and rescue workers Monday to respond to a powerful earthquake in the Pacific nation's mountainous interior, with unconfirmed reports of fatalities and warnings of aftershocks and landslides. Assessment teams were heading to affected areas near the 7.5-magnitude quake's epicentre, which the US Geological Survey said was some 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Porgera in Enga province. "It is advisable to stay out of multi-story buildings, to be aware of the potential of landslides, and to be prepared to move to open ground in the event that an aftershock is felt," the chief secretary to the government, Isaac Lupari, said in a statement. The tremor hit at a depth of 35 kilometres around 3:45 am local time (1745 GMT Sunday), US seismologists said, adding that there was no tsunami threat. The region is home to oil and gas production. ExxonMobil PNG said buildings at its Hides Gas Conditioning Plant were damaged but all its staff were "safe and accounted for", with non-essential employees to be evacuated. Australian resources company Oil Search said its operations in the area were being shut down as a precaution and for damage assessment, and there were no injuries reported among its staff so far. Felix Taranu, a seismologist at the Geophysical Observatory in the capital Port Moresby, said social media posts reported blackouts and damage to buildings at Porgera, although he was not aware of any injuries. He told AFP the quake was felt strongly at Mount Hagen, some 168 kilometres away from the epicentre. "It will take some time to get assessment teams out there and get a clear picture of what's happening," he added. The director of the Geohazards Management Division, Chris McKee, told AFP he had yet to receive any reports of damage, although there was an unconfirmed report of fatalities. "There's an unconfirmed report of some deaths from Mendi (in the Southern Highlands), but I'm not exactly aware of where the fatalities occurred, and this will have to be corroborated," he said. The quake's epicentre is in rugged terrain about 612 kilometres northwest of Port Moresby. USGS said earlier that some casualties and damage were possible and recent earthquakes in the area had caused landslides. It said homes in the region were "a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction". The impact should be relatively localised, it added. Earthquakes are common in PNG, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity due to friction between tectonic plates.

Papua New Guinea sends out troops, rescue workers after quake

Rescue workers pulled survivors and bodies from buildings tilting precariously in the Taiwanese city of Hualien Wednesday after an overnight earthquake killed at least seven people, injured more than 250 and left dozens missing.

Emergency responders were focusing on a 12-storey apartment block and a nearby hotel, both of which were leaning dangerously with their lower floors pancaked after the 6.4-magnitude quake hit the popular tourist city late Tuesday.

The national fire agency said seven people had been killed across the city, and 260 were injured.&nbsp;

Some 67 people remained unaccounted for late Wednesday evening.

There were grave concerns for the badly leaning Yun Tsui residential building, which also housed a restaurant, shops and a hostel.

Dozens of residents -- and several pets -- were rescued with ropes, ladders and cranes. But fire department staff at the site told AFP at least four bodies had been pulled out of the building in the day.

Of those still missing, the Hualien disaster relief centre said, 39 are residents at the apartment block and 13 are guests at the Beauty Stay Hotel -- which is on the bottom floors of the Yun Tsui building.

One of the people killed at the apartment block was a woman from mainland China, authorities said.

Officials temporarily suspended rescue efforts over fears the building might slip further as engineers raced to push large concrete blocks and steel bars to support the leaning side.&nbsp;

Rescue efforts continued as night fell, with emergency responders wielding crowbars and torches to search the lower floors for survivors.

Continual aftershocks forced rescuers searching the apartment block to run for safety every time they struck. The responders would go back inside when the tremors stopped.

The strongest of them was a shallow 5.7-magnitude quake that was felt as far away as the capital Taipei, around 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Hualien.

One resident who lives nearby told AFP how he watched the tower block partially collapse.

&quot;I saw the first floor sink into the ground. Then it sank and tilted further and the fourth floor became the first floor,&quot; said Lu Chih-son, 35, who saw 20 people rescued from the building.

Chen Chih-wei, 80, said he was sleeping in his apartment on the top floor of the building when the quake struck.

&quot;My bed turned completely vertical. I was sleeping and suddenly I was standing,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

Chen said he managed to crawl to a balcony to wait for rescue, adding that the quake was the strongest he had felt in more than five decades of living in Hualien.

Tourists rescued

At the Marshal Hotel, which was also leaning and badly damaged, at least two people were killed when the lower floors collapsed. But most residents got out and authorities said they believed no more people were trapped inside.&nbsp;

President Tsai Ing-wen visited the apartment block Wednesday morning. &quot;Now is the prime time for our rescue efforts, our first priority is to save people,&quot; she said in a Facebook post.

Hualien is one of Taiwan&#39;s most popular tourist hubs as it lies on the picturesque east coast rail line and near the popular Taroko Gorge.

The government said 17 foreigners sought medical treatment for minor injuries.

Local resident Blue Hsu said some of those carried out of the hotel were foreigners.&nbsp;

&quot;The lower floors sunk into the ground and I saw panicked tourists being rescued from the hotel,&quot; Hsu told AFP.

Some 830 people were in shelters, officials said, while 1,900 houses were without power.

Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the victims and encouraged emergency responders in a statement issued by the Vatican on Wednesday.

&quot;His Holiness willingly invokes upon all the Taiwanese people the divine blessings of strength and peace,&quot; the statement said.

Quake anniversary

The quake hit just before midnight (1550 GMT) around 21 kilometres (13 miles) northeast of Hualien, according to the USGS.

It followed almost 100 smaller tremors to have hit the area in the last three days and comes exactly two years since a quake of the same magnitude struck the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan, killing more than 100 people.

Most of the deaths from the February 2016 earthquake were from the 16-storey Wei-kuan apartment complex, which toppled on its side and buried many residents in the rubble.

The safety of the building was called into question immediately after the disaster when metal cans and foam were found to have been used as fillers in the concrete and residents said there had been cracks in the structure.

Five people were found guilty over the disaster, including the developer and two architects.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes.

The island&#39;s worst tremor in recent decades was a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people.

The national fire agency said seven people had been killed across the city, and 260 were injured

Rescue workers pulled survivors and bodies from buildings tilting precariously in the Taiwanese city of Hualien Wednesday after an overnight earthquake killed at least seven people, injured more than 250 and left dozens missing. Emergency responders were focusing on a 12-storey apartment block and a nearby hotel, both of which were leaning dangerously with their lower floors pancaked after the 6.4-magnitude quake hit the popular tourist city late Tuesday. The national fire agency said seven people had been killed across the city, and 260 were injured. Some 67 people remained unaccounted for late Wednesday evening. There were grave concerns for the badly leaning Yun Tsui residential building, which also housed a restaurant, shops and a hostel. Dozens of residents -- and several pets -- were rescued with ropes, ladders and cranes. But fire department staff at the site told AFP at least four bodies had been pulled out of the building in the day. Of those still missing, the Hualien disaster relief centre said, 39 are residents at the apartment block and 13 are guests at the Beauty Stay Hotel -- which is on the bottom floors of the Yun Tsui building. One of the people killed at the apartment block was a woman from mainland China, authorities said. Officials temporarily suspended rescue efforts over fears the building might slip further as engineers raced to push large concrete blocks and steel bars to support the leaning side. Rescue efforts continued as night fell, with emergency responders wielding crowbars and torches to search the lower floors for survivors. Continual aftershocks forced rescuers searching the apartment block to run for safety every time they struck. The responders would go back inside when the tremors stopped. The strongest of them was a shallow 5.7-magnitude quake that was felt as far away as the capital Taipei, around 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Hualien. One resident who lives nearby told AFP how he watched the tower block partially collapse. "I saw the first floor sink into the ground. Then it sank and tilted further and the fourth floor became the first floor," said Lu Chih-son, 35, who saw 20 people rescued from the building. Chen Chih-wei, 80, said he was sleeping in his apartment on the top floor of the building when the quake struck. "My bed turned completely vertical. I was sleeping and suddenly I was standing," he told AFP. Chen said he managed to crawl to a balcony to wait for rescue, adding that the quake was the strongest he had felt in more than five decades of living in Hualien. Tourists rescued At the Marshal Hotel, which was also leaning and badly damaged, at least two people were killed when the lower floors collapsed. But most residents got out and authorities said they believed no more people were trapped inside. President Tsai Ing-wen visited the apartment block Wednesday morning. "Now is the prime time for our rescue efforts, our first priority is to save people," she said in a Facebook post. Hualien is one of Taiwan's most popular tourist hubs as it lies on the picturesque east coast rail line and near the popular Taroko Gorge. The government said 17 foreigners sought medical treatment for minor injuries. Local resident Blue Hsu said some of those carried out of the hotel were foreigners. "The lower floors sunk into the ground and I saw panicked tourists being rescued from the hotel," Hsu told AFP. Some 830 people were in shelters, officials said, while 1,900 houses were without power. Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the victims and encouraged emergency responders in a statement issued by the Vatican on Wednesday. "His Holiness willingly invokes upon all the Taiwanese people the divine blessings of strength and peace," the statement said. Quake anniversary The quake hit just before midnight (1550 GMT) around 21 kilometres (13 miles) northeast of Hualien, according to the USGS. It followed almost 100 smaller tremors to have hit the area in the last three days and comes exactly two years since a quake of the same magnitude struck the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan, killing more than 100 people. Most of the deaths from the February 2016 earthquake were from the 16-storey Wei-kuan apartment complex, which toppled on its side and buried many residents in the rubble. The safety of the building was called into question immediately after the disaster when metal cans and foam were found to have been used as fillers in the concrete and residents said there had been cracks in the structure. Five people were found guilty over the disaster, including the developer and two architects. Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes. The island's worst tremor in recent decades was a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people.

Rescuers scour tilting buildings after Taiwan quake kills seven

A moderate quake, measuring 4.8 on the Richter Scale, was recorded off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Sunday night, the IMD reported.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the quake occurred at 9:18 pm at a depth of 10km.

No damage or casualty has been reported so far.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the quake occurred at 9:18 pm at a depth of 10km.

A moderate quake, measuring 4.8 on the Richter Scale, was recorded off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Sunday night, the IMD reported. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the quake occurred at 9:18 pm at a depth of 10km. No damage or casualty has been reported so far.

Earthquake of 4.8 magnitude hits Andaman Islands

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday leaving at least 13 dead and 203 injured, AFP reported today.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The toll has climbed from 11 people dead to 13 and from 192 injured to 203,&quot; Deodatus Kinawilo, district commissioner for Bukoba, the town close to the epicentre of the quake, was quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp; 
 
However, according to a Reuters report, the death toll was put at 10 by the president&#39;s office.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The president is shocked at the reports of the incident that has resulted in the loss of several people, and many others injured and property destroyed,&quot; the statement said. 
 
According to the US Geological survey, the epicentre of the 1227 GMT quake was about 25 kilometres east of the north-western town of Nsunga on the border of Lake Victoria. The earthquake was felt as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya.&nbsp; 
 
Augustine Ollomi, the Kagera province police chief in charge of the Bukoba district, where some houses had caved in according to residents, told AFP that &quot;rescue operations are ongoing&quot;. 
 
Earthquakes are fairly common in the Great Lakes region but are almost always of low intensity. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Tremors were felt as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya, the US Geological Survey said

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday leaving at least 13 dead and 203 injured, AFP reported today. "The toll has climbed from 11 people dead to 13 and from 192 injured to 203," Deodatus Kinawilo, district commissioner for Bukoba, the town close to the epicentre of the quake, was quoted as saying by AFP. However, according to a Reuters report, the death toll was put at 10 by the president's office. "The president is shocked at the reports of the incident that has resulted in the loss of several people, and many others injured and property destroyed," the statement said. According to the US Geological survey, the epicentre of the 1227 GMT quake was about 25 kilometres east of the north-western town of Nsunga on the border of Lake Victoria. The earthquake was felt as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya. Augustine Ollomi, the Kagera province police chief in charge of the Bukoba district, where some houses had caved in according to residents, told AFP that "rescue operations are ongoing". Earthquakes are fairly common in the Great Lakes region but are almost always of low intensity. (WION with inputs from agencies)

At least 16 dead, 253 injured as 5.7 magnitude earthquake rattles Tanzania

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake and at least three aftershocks shook northwestern Nicaragua on Thursday night. 
 
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. 
 
The 6.1 quake struck at 9:25 PM (0325 GMT), centered 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) east of Puerto Morazan near the Honduras border at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey. 
 
It was followed by three weaker aftershocks within the next 20 minutes, USGS said. 
 
&quot;The quake was felt almost throughout the country,&quot; government spokeswoman and First Lady Rosario Murillo said, calling it &quot;unusually strong.&quot; 
 
She urged residents to stay calm, warning of the threat of more aftershocks. 
 
Puerto Morazan is about 125 kilometers northwest of the capital Managua.

An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude hit northwestern Nicaragua on Thursday night. There was no damage or casualty reported

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake and at least three aftershocks shook northwestern Nicaragua on Thursday night. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The 6.1 quake struck at 9:25 PM (0325 GMT), centered 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) east of Puerto Morazan near the Honduras border at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey. It was followed by three weaker aftershocks within the next 20 minutes, USGS said. "The quake was felt almost throughout the country," government spokeswoman and First Lady Rosario Murillo said, calling it "unusually strong." She urged residents to stay calm, warning of the threat of more aftershocks. Puerto Morazan is about 125 kilometers northwest of the capital Managua.

6.1 magnitude quake, aftershocks shake northwest Nicaragua

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