Nearly 1,100 homes were damaged when a 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit Lindian County in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province at 11:43 pm on Monday, the province's seismological bureau reported.

The tremor and around 30 aftershocks have resulted in the evacuation of more than 2,500 people in the area.

One death an 81-year-old man who had a stroke during the quake was reported with 12 others injured, one seriously.

Lu Qiuping said she heard dogs barking non-stop all evening before she went to bed on Monday night. She was jolted awake by the temblor.

"I woke up with a start," she said. "It was shaking a lot. The vase and mirror on the window sill fell onto the floor and broke.

"Luckily, we managed to rush outside," she said, pointing to a large crack on the wall of their house in Lindian County under the city of Daqing.

No serious damage was reported at the nearby Daqing Oilfield, China's largest oil-producing base.

Today, the assessment and cleanup will enter the third day.

The seismological bureau placed the epicentre 10 kilometres below the earth's surface.

"At least 30 aftershocks were reported until later in the morning," said Zheng Jilie, head of the seismological bureau.

"We've been keeping an eye on the potential for an earthquake in Daqing for years, but for now our technology is incapable of predicting where and when such a quake will occur."

By press time last night, about 2,540 people had been moved away from the worst-affected areas for their safety, a source for the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

During the quake, about 1,140 roofs collapsed or were damaged in the disaster's worst-hit areas including Huayuan Township, the source said.

About 100 tents have been sent for the homeless as disaster relief authorities continue their rescue work. An investigative team has arrived to assess the earthquake and the damage it caused.

Although many local residents in Daqing, only about 33 kilometres away, rushed out of the homes into the night after the quake and some stayed out all night, no injuries were reported, and life had returned to normal by yesterday afternoon.

Shock waves were felt as far away as Harbin, the provincial capital, about 180 kilometres to the east.

(China Daily 07/27/2005 page2)