NAIROBI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Strong earthquakes hit southern African countries Malawi and Tanzania on Sunday, causing a number of casualties, according to reports monitored here.

Several people died and hundreds of others were injured early in the day in northern Malawi, after being hit by a magnitude-6.0quake.

The authorities have begun evacuating more than 200,000 people in the worst-hit Karonga area, while appealing to the international community to supply tents and other materials.

In southwestern Tanzania, a tremor measuring 6.2 magnitude was reported 130 km away from the city of Mbeya. There have been no reports of injuries and damage.