China Earthquake 2011: 5.8 Quake Kills Over 24 People

An earthquake hit China toppling over 1,000 buildings near the border with Myanmar and the death toll so far has topped over 24 people.

Police and firefighters are out en masse to rescue those trapped and injured. The quake was measured at 5.8, was centered in Yingjiang and hit just before 1 pm GMT at a depth of six miles.

The epicenter was in Shiming Village. The area hit by the moderate quake has had more than 1,000 minor tremors over a period of 2 months.

The Myanmar region’s damage is not clear as the area is under a tight rule and is controlled by various ethnic groups in battle with the government.

It’s not known why so many buildings collapsed in the region but it will be analyzed if it’s due to poor construction or just happenstance.

The seism in China was followed by a strong 8.8 earthquake that occurred on the north-eastern coast of Japan.

Category: China News