Major earthquakes not likely hit China in near future

Major earthquakes will not likely hit China again in near future, the China Seismological Bureau (CSB) said here on Monday.

Experts with the CSB concluded late on Monday night that apart from the regions near the epicenter of Monday's earthquake, which is located 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude, the rest of Sichuan Province and the country is not likely to be hit again soon.

The CSB has strengthened earthquake monitoring, the bureau said.

Monday's quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m., resulting in more than 8,500 deaths reported so far.

Tremors were also reported in over half of China's provinces and municipalities, the China Seismological Bureau said.

 

Rescue workers search for victims after an earthquake tore down a school building in Dujiangyan, southwest China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008. An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted nearby Wenchuan County at 14:28 Monday. [Xinhua]

A house in Dujiangyan city of southwest China's Sichuan province collapsed from a major quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale in Wenchuan on Monday, May 12. A large number of houses have also collapsed in its neighboring Dujiangyan city.