The death toll from a strong earthquake in southern Kyrgyzstan Sunday night has risen to nearly 70, according to the country's emergencies ministry on Monday.

The quake, which also injured 50 people so far, heavily jolted the village of Nura in the Osh region in southern Kyrgyzstan, about 50 km from the epicenter of the quake in neighboring Tajikistan.

The 6.3-magnitude quake destroyed 120 buildings in Nura, a remote village of 960 residents, according to reports of the country's Emergency Situations Ministry.

The search and rescue operation was still going on. The Health Ministry of Kyrgyzstan said it has set up a crisis center to help the people in the quake-hit rural area.

"The remoteness of the villages hit by the earthquake, the absence of means of communication and the destruction of roads are hindering assistance to the injured," said the ministry in a press service.

"The closest first aid post lies in 76 km away from Nura," said the ministry, which is also planning to set up a field hospital in the immediate vicinity of the village.

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2008)