The most severe earthquake in China in 13 years has claimed the lives of at least 126 people in the north-western region. Striking mountainous Gansu province with a magnitude of 6.2 around midnight on Monday (16:00 GMT), the quake also affected neighbouring Qinghai, leaving over 700 reported injured in freezing conditions. Chinese President Xi Jinping has mobilized thousands of rescue personnel to the impoverished and culturally diverse region. State TV and social media footage on Tuesday displayed villages split by the quake, collapsed buildings, and residents in makeshift camps enduring sub-zero temperatures.