7.0 magnitude quake hits China, 157 killed

Beijing, April 20: At least 157 people have been killed and more than 5,700 injured when a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked southwest China's Sichuan province on Saturday, flattening more than 10,000 homes in a seismic mountainous region that suffered a catastrophic quake in 2008.

The quake struck the province on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau at 8:02 am, prompting a major relief and rescue operation in the same area where 90,000 people were reported dead or missing in a 8-magnitude quake in 2008.

A total of 157 people had been killed and more than 5,700 injured in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake as of 9:00 pm after the quake hit Lushan county in the city of Ya'an, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Meanwhile, China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Sichuan-based nuclear power facilities are safe and no abnormalities have been detected in environmental radiation monitoring following the quake.

It however has not provided the details of the facilities.

The MEP said local drinking water had not been contaminated so far and there were no chemical plants or other environmentally hazardous facilities in Lushan county.

Several of the injured were said to be in serious condition, Chinese officials said.

At least 10,000 homes were destroyed, the Sichuan government said.

The epicentre of the earthquake was reported to be at a depth of 13 km and was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude.

The powerful quake flattened buildings, triggered landslides and disrupted phone and power connections in the historic Lushan county, home of endangered giant Pandas on the foot hills of Tibetan plateau.

The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said 712 aftershocks were reported including 50 above 3.0 magnitude.

To help rescue operations, about 6,000 soldiers and police headed to the area where five drones were deployed to capture aerial images, state-run news agency said.