United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply saddened by the loss of lives, injuries to people and damage to properties caused by an earthquake in China, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

"He expresses his solidarity with the people and the government of the People's Republic of China and extends his most sincere and deepest condolences to [the families of] the victims, [and] wishes a speedy recovery to those injured," said Dujarric.

Guterres recognizes the efforts being made by the government of China, and the UN team there stands ready to help, he said.

A magnitude-6.2 earthquake jolted northwest China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces on Monday midnight, killing more than 130 people.