Moderate earthquake jolts northwest China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-18 19:30

BEIJING - A 5.0-magnitude earthquake jolted northwest China's Qinghai at 4:12 p.m. Wednesday, three hours after a 5.4-magnitude tremor rocked the province, according to the China National Seismological Network.

The quake struck the Tanggula Range, with the epicenter at 33.3 degrees north latitude and 92.1 degrees east longitude, the network said.

Casualties and damages are not immediately available. The affected area, however, is sparsely populated as it is on an altitude of about 5,000 meters above sea level, according to the network.

At 1:23 p.m., a 5.4 magnitude quake jolted Zhidoi county in Hol Xil Nature Reserve, some 200 kilometers away from the epicenter of the later tremor.

The Tanggula Range was hit by four quakes from June 9 to 10, all measuring at or above 5.0-magnitude. No casualties have been reported.

According to experts, the area has been hit by quake clusters many times in history, and the tremors on June 9 and 10 and today's quakes were also quake clusters.

The China Earthquake Administration has beefed up quake surveillance in the affected and neighboring areas.