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Strong aftershock jolts Sichuan

CHENGDU: One person died and more than 400 were injured, 28 seriously, when an aftershock measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale jolted Qingchuan County in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Sunday afternoon.

The strongest aftershock since the catastrophic Wenchuan County quake almost two weeks ago also destroyed or severely damaged about 2,70,000 houses, and like the original quake, was felt across China.

In Qingchuan County, the epicentre, 359 people had been injured while telephone services snapped in nine villages and towns.

About 71,300 houses collapsed and more than 2,00,000 were in danger of collapse after the aftershock in Guangyuan City, said an official.

The aftershock was said to have lasted for about a minute and many high-rises in Chengdu rocked slightly.

A Beijinger said he felt the aftershock in his 25th floor office. However, those on the lower floors did not feel it.

The tremor was also felt in Xi’an, capital of the northwestern Shaanxi Province, where citizens fled their homes and offices for the comparative safety of open spaces.

The Tangjiashan lake is in danger of bursting as water builds up in it. The lake is 3.2 km upstream from the Beichuan County seat, from which thousands of survivors have been evacuated since Wednesday.

Its water level rose by nearly 2 metres on Saturday to 723 metres, only 29 metres below the lowest part of the barrier.

Nearly 8,000 aftershocks have been reported in Sichuan Province following the May 12 earthquake. The known death toll now stands at 62,664, including 62,161 in Sichuan alone. — Xinhua

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