Eight people were killed and 11 injured when a 5.5 -magnitude earthquake struck North West China on Thursday morning, Xinhua News Agency reported. The quake took place at 5.58 am in Taxkorgan County in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the news agency said.

Search and rescue work is on. The injured have been hospitalised. Several aftershocks were also felt, the agency quoted witnesses as saying.

The epicentre, with a depth of 8.0 km, was monitored at 37.58 degrees north latitude and 75.25 degrees east longitude in the southeast part of the Pamir Plateau.

More details are awaited.