YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS. Eight people have been confirmed dead and 23 others were injured after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake hit Taxkorgan County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 5:58 a.m. Thursday, Xinhua reported.

So far, the quake has left lives of more than 12,000 people affected. A total of 9,200 people have been evacuated to safe places.

More than1,000 soldiers and police officers, and 1,500 civilians have been deployed to the affected areas.

The epicenter, with a depth of about 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.