Ten people are confirmed dead and 34 injured after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, the regional government said on Tuesday.

The latest death was from a high school in Shannan Prefecture, the region's vice chairman Gong Puguang said at a press conference.

Gong said the school in Nagarze County was evacuating its students during the quake when a stampede occurred. One teenager was killed and 15 others injured.

The earthquake hit Damxung, an outer county of the regional capital Lhasa, 4:30 PM on Monday.

Nine deaths and 19 injuries were reported in the epicenter, mainly women, children and the elderly. Most men were out mowing and storing forage grass for the winter.

Tibet's regional government decided Monday night to close all schools in Lhasa on Tuesday due to safety concerns.

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2008)