Another 195 people were still missing, the state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing rescue headquarters. It added that 12,135 people were injured, of whom 1,434 were in serious condition.

Since the quake struck the country's Tibetan region, rescuers have been working round the clock to find survivors and pull them from the rubble.

The earthquake toppled about 15,000 homes in and around the impoverished county of Yushu, and caused more than 100,000 people to flee the area.

Qinghai province is home to about 5 million people and is considered a gateway to Himalayan Tibet.

The Chinese government has allocated 200 million yuan (US$29 million) to aid the relief effort, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs said.