An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale was reported from Sichuan province in Western China which was felt as far away as Thailand and Vietnam. The quake struck 57 miles (92 kilometers) northwest of the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu on Monday, May 12 2008, at 2:28 p.m. local time in China (06:28 GMT), as reported on the U.S. Geological Survey website. The quake was centered 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) below the surface, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, where mountains rise sharply and the population density is generally thin. The tremors could be felt in cities hundreds of kilometres away including Beijing, Shanghai, Hanoi and Bangkok.
Image taken from U.S. Geological Survey.
In the Chinese capital Beijing, about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) away, buildings swayed for more than 2 minutes but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Scores of frightened office workers and shoppers evacuated buildings, including offices of the organizing committee for the Beijing Olympics. People lingered outside buildings in the central business district for over 30 minutes after the shaking stopped.
In the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the southeastern Chinese, buildings swayed when the quake hit.
The quake was felt as far away as the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, where some people hurried out of swaying office buildings and got out into the streets. Some high rise office buildings in the Thai capital of Bangkok were also evacuated after the quake was reported to have caused those buildings to sway.
Image taken from U.S. Geological Survey.
In the Chinese capital Beijing, about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) away, buildings swayed for more than 2 minutes but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Scores of frightened office workers and shoppers evacuated buildings, including offices of the organizing committee for the Beijing Olympics. People lingered outside buildings in the central business district for over 30 minutes after the shaking stopped.
In the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the southeastern Chinese, buildings swayed when the quake hit.
The quake was felt as far away as the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, where some people hurried out of swaying office buildings and got out into the streets. Some high rise office buildings in the Thai capital of Bangkok were also evacuated after the quake was reported to have caused those buildings to sway.
