At least 12 dead, 125 injured in M 6.0 quake in SW China

TOKYO, June 18 (KUNA) -- A powerful earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale in southwest China's Sichuan Province has left 12 people dead and 125 others injured, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Tuesday, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.
The earthquake hit Yibin at 10:55 pm Monday (1455 GMT) at a depth of 16 km, the report said.
Most of the deaths were caused by damaged houses, according to rescuers. The ministry has activated an emergency response and sent a work team to the stricken areas to provide guidance in rescue and disaster relief, it said. Sichuan Province was hit by a magnitude-8.0 quake in May 2008 that left almost 90,000 people dead or missing. (end) mk.hb