Quake in China leaves at least 156 dead

BEIJING (AP):

A powerful earthquake struck the steep hills of China's southwestern Sichuan province today, leaving at least 156 people dead and more than 5,500 injured, nearly five years after a devastating quake wreaked widespread damage across the region.



The quake toppled buildings, triggered landslides and disrupted phone and power connections in the mountainous Lushan county. The village of Longmen was hit particularly hard, with authorities saying nearly all the buildings there had been destroyed in a frightening minute-long shaking by the quake.



The quake — measured by the earthquake administration at magnitude 7.0 and by the United States Geological Survey at 6.6 — struck the steep hills of Lushan county shortly after 8 a.m., when many people were at home, sleeping or having breakfast.



The quake's shallow depth, less than 13 kilometres (8 miles), likely magnified the impact.



Chengdu's airport shut down for about an hour before reopening, though many flights were cancelled or delayed, and its railway station halted dozens of scheduled train rides Saturday, state media said.



FOR MORE STORIES WATCH:

Like our new Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/gleanerjamaica



Follow us on Twitter

http://twitter.com/JamaicaGleaner



onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com