Thousands of troops were called in to central China after a massive earthquake rocked the region today bringing fears of a huge death toll.

Thousands of earthquake survivors in western China prepared to spend a fourth night outdoors in freezing conditions as aftershocks continued to jolt the isolated area, a relief worker said today.

At least 242 people were killed today by a powerful earthquake that struck China’s remote western region of Xinjiang, the government said. More than 1,000 homes were destroyed in just one town.