Up to 100 feared dead in Chinese earthquake

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China yesterday, killing at least five people, with up to 100 feared dead.

The official Xinhua news agency said five people died and more than 60 were injured, including 30 who were in critical condition, in the quake in a remote region of Sichuan province.

But China’s National Commission for Disaster Reduction estimated that as many as 100 people may have perished. More than 130,000 houses may be damaged, it added in a statement posted on its website.