Over 27,000 aftershocks recorded, strong aftershocks of May 12 quake may continue
4/9/2008 17:39
Strong aftershocks from the May 12 quake in southwest China's Sichuan
Province may continue, but the possibility of a 6.5-magnitude quake or greater
is slim, said the National Wenchuan Earthquake Expert Committee today at a press
conference.
The quake has caused about 12,000 quake-related geological
disasters, and there were still 8,700 sites where more might occur. In addition,
more than 30 quake lakes are in danger, the committee said.
As of Monday
noon, 112 days after the deadly quake, the country's seismograph network had
recorded up to 27,000 aftershocks. Eight were greater than 6.0 magnitude with 39
above 5.0 magnitude, said committee director Ma Zongjin.
The strongest
aftershock, measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, happened in Qingchuan County,
one of the worst-hit areas in Sichuan, on May 25. Two people died and more than
480 were injured.
Many geological disasters such as landslides and mud-rock
flows occurred, the result of the strong magnitude and intensity of the quake,
Ma said.
The committee also confirmed there were 51 hard-hit areas in
Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces occupying more than 130,000 square km. The
appraisal was made in accordance with the area's quake casualty numbers and
average quake intensity.
Of all the areas badly hit, 39 were in Sichuan,
eight in Gansu and four in Shaanxi.
"The May 12 quake was a warning call for
the country to make greater efforts on disaster prevention and relief work," Ma
said.
The 8.0-magnitude quake centered in Sichuan's Wenchuan County killed
about 70,000 people and had left more than 18,000 missing as of mid
July.
Xinhua
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