Chinese experts have chosen the new site for Beichuan, the worst-hit county in the May 12 earthquake, in the neighboring Anxian County in southwestern Sichuan Province.

The new county seat will be located at the place called Bandengqiao in west Mianyang City, which is about 35 kilometers from its previous location of Qunshan Township, according to a preliminary plan yet to be approved by government.

Beichuan Autonomous County of Qiang Ethnic Group, whose county seat Qushan is surrounded by hills 500 meters to 1,000 meters high, is one of the worst-hit areas in the 8.0-magnitude quake as it is only 90 kilometers from the epicenter Wenchuan.

Beichuan has a population of 160,000, but more than 8,600 of the 13,000 people living in the county seat were killed and about 70 percent of the buildings were toppled in the quake.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)