Twin Quakes Kill 75 in China

A pair of earthquakes have killed at least 75 people and left some 400 hurt in China's Gansu province, the BBC reports. The quakes' magnitude measured 5.98 and 5.6 respectively, according to the US Geological Survey; Reuters puts the first quake at 6.6. There have been 371 aftershocks, officials say, along with landslides and mudslides; some 380 houses have collapsed while 5,600 have suffered damage. The local government reported a $32 million economic blow.

Shallow earthquakes can be more disastrous, and the first one hit just 6 miles below the surface. Hundreds of soldiers are aiding in the rescue effort, state news says, as power outages are rampant in the area. The western Gansu province is a dry region of deserts, pastures, and mountains; the population is a relatively small 26 million, the AP notes, adding that despite the damage, there was little panic. (More China stories.)