Earthquake death toll in Qinghai rises to 18

XINING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 6.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted northwest China at midnight Monday has killed 18 people in Qinghai Province, local authorities said on Wednesday morning.

As of 5:30 a.m., the disaster has injured 198 people in Qinghai, with 16 others still missing.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake jolted at 11:59 p.m. Monday and has a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter Liugou Township is about 8 km from the county seat of the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County of Jishishan in Gansu Province.

By Tuesday afternoon, a total of 113 people were confirmed dead in Gansu.