Another Earthquake in China

Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 1:15 am

BEIJING: Twenty-two people were killed and more than a hundred were injured after an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck southwest China on Saturday.

According to state media reported the tremor struck Panzhihua City in Sichuan province at 4.30pm (0830 GMT).

It said 17 people had died and about 100 injured in Sichuan, while five were killed and 26 hurt in neighbouring Yunnan province.

In Sichuan a man aged 54 died in Miyi County, while in Zhongchang Township of Lihui County, another was confirmed to have died when a house collapsed in.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 5.7.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 4.30 p.m. (0830 GMT), was around 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of Panzhihua, 161 kilometres northwest of Kunming, Yunnan’s provincial capital, the USGS said.

Five others died in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, said Mengfu, a prefecture government official.

The were no reports of casualties in Panzhihua city.

The Yunnan Seismological Bureau said the quake and its aftershocks were also felt in Yongren county, Yunnan.