Strong quake hits China ahead of Games

A strong earthquake rocked the western Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Gansu on Tuesday, near the site of May’s devastating quake that killed at least 70 000 people, the United States Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the 6,0-magnitude quake, whose epicentre was 1 253km south-west of Beijing.

The magnitude of May’s quake was 7,9.

About 18 000 people are still listed as missing following that earthquake, the deadliest in the country since 1976.

A shallow quake of Tuesday’s magnitude is capable of significant property damage.

The Olympic torch was paraded in the capital of earthquake-hit Sichuan province on Tuesday on its journey to Beijing, where the Games will open on Friday.

At the beginning of August, two aftershocks hit Sichuan province, with the second felt strongly in the provincial capital, Chengdu, Xinhua news agency said.

Xinhua said the second aftershock lasted for a “relatively long” time. It was measured at 6,1 on the Richter scale. The first aftershock struck Wenchuan county, the epicentre of the May 12 disaster, about six hours earlier and was measured at 3,9 on the Richter scale, Xinhua said, citing the local seismological department.

At least three powerful aftershocks hit the Sichuan quake area on July 24, killing two people and injuring dozens.—Reuters