The State Seismological Bureau of China said the earthquake measured 8.7 on the Richter scale.

Following is a chronology of major earthquakes that occurred around the world since 2003:

2003:

Feb. 24 -- A quake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale left 268 people dead and caused huge property damage in Jiashi and Bachu counties of China's western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

May 1 -- At least 167 were killed and over 500 others injured when a quake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit Turkey's eastern province of Bingol.

May 21 -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale struck northern Algeria, killing almost 2,300 people and injuring more than 10,000.

May 26 -- A quake measuring 7 on the Richter scale jolted northeastern Japan, injuring 118.

May 27 -- An earthquake, measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale, rocked the southern Philippine island of Sulu.

Sept. 22 -- An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale shook the central part of Myanmar, causing damage to houses, bridges and some ancient pagodas.

Sept. 26 -- A total of 591 people were injured when an offshoreearthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale, followed by a series of aftershocks, hit Japan's northern Hokkaido Prefecture.

Dec. 22 -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 rocked the southern and central parts of California, the United States, killing three and injuring 50 others.

Dec. 26 -- An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rocked the ancient city of Bam in Kerman province of southeastern Iran, killing over 30,000 people and injuring 50,000 others.

2004:

Feb. 6 -- A strong quake in Papua province of Indonesia killed 37 and injured about 600 hundred others. The quake measured at 6.9on the Richter scale.

Feb. 14 -- At least 21 people were killed and dozens others injured when an earthquake measuring around 5.7 on the Richter scale struck northern Pakistan.

Feb. 16 -- An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted Padang, the capital of Indonesia's West Sumatra province, killing five and injuring seven others.

March 26 -- A quake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale jolted eastern Turkey, leaving at least 9 dead and 46 others injured. Another quake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale in the same region caused another 12 people wounded on March 28.

April 6 -- An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale jolted northern Pakistan ,injuring at least five people.

May 28 -- A strong quake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hitnorthern and central Iran, leaving at least 23 people dead and some 100 others injured.

June 2 -- An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit Iran in the northern province of Mazandaran, leaving at least 30 people dead and 250 others injured.

Aug. 10 -- An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hitLudian County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, killing at least four people and injured 594 others.

Sept. 7 -- A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook Argentina's Catamarca city, leaving one dead.

Oct. 8 -- An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale hitthe northern Iranian province of Golestan, injuring at least 60 people.

Oct. 10 -- An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale jolted Nicaraga.

Oct. 15 -- A quake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale jolted eastern Taiwan island of China, leaving two people injured.

Oct. 23 -- An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale shooknorth Japan's Niigata Prefecture. At least 38 people died in series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks.

Nov. 17 -- At least 27 people were killed in an earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale on the Indonesian island of Alor.

Nov. 20 -- An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hitCosta Rica, killing five people.

Nov. 23 -- An quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of the South Island of New Zealand, no casualties reported.

Nov. 26 -- A strong quake measuring at 6.4 on the Richter scalein the Indonesian province of Papua left at least 17 people dead and 75 others injured.

Dec. 14 -- A quake measuring at 6.1 on the Richter scale hit parts of northern and western Hokkaido, Japan's main northern island, injuring one people and causing minor damage.

Dec. 24 -- Australian scientist registered an earthquake measuring at 8.1 on the Richter scale 400 km off the Macquarie Island of Australia, no casualties reported.