The day the earth moved

The strongest earthquake to hit China in more than three decades jolted Wenchuan county in Sichuan province at 2:28 pm yesterday, killing more than 8,500. Casualties are expected to rise fast.

The tremor measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, with the epicenter located at 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude, the State Seismological Bureau (SSB) said.

The quake was centered 10 km below the surface; and more than 300 aftershocks were reported.