Remote Chinese province struck by 2 earthquakes in 20 minutes

BEIJING — A remote province in China was struck by two earthquakes just 18 minutes apart late Tuesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The earthquakes in Qinghai province at 11:16 a.m. and 11:34 a.m. had magnitudes of 5.7 and 5.8 at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the USGS reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Qinghai province in China’s northwest is sparsely populated and often experiences earthquakes.

A video from state broadcaster CCTV showed dust clouds rising from cliffs as the land shook.

The earthquakes also impacted Lanzhou in neighboring Gansu province, one of the largest cities in the area.. Social media videos showed lamps swinging inside residences in the city.