Pandas get front-row seats to quakes

Whenever a strong earthquake hits Southwest China's Sichuan province, panda lovers across the world feel their stomachs tighten with worry.

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake rippled through Jiuzhaigou county, a popular scenic area for tourists, at 9:19 pm on Tuesday, after originating 20 kilometers below the earth's surface.

The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda quickly confirmed that the base's staff and animals, 400 km from the epicenter, were not affected.