Strong Quakes Rattle Two Regions of China 

BEIJING - A series of strong earthquakes rattled northwest and southwest China, leaving at least two people dead, local officials and seismologists said early Saturday.

Both Qinghai province in the northwest on the Tibetan plateau and Yunnan province in southwestern China are areas prone to earthquakes. And both tremors were shallow, meaning they generally cause more damage. The Yunnan quake, which had a magnitude of 6.1, struck first at 9:48 p.m. Friday (1348 GMT) near the city of Dali, a popular tourist destination, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It was followed by at least two aftershocks, USGS said. Two people were confirmed dead in the mountainous area, local officials said in a statement, adding that at least 17 others had been injured and were receiving treatment.