Earthquakes jolt South China Sea, one killed in Taiwan

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-27-2006 08:26

Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 6.7 on the Richter scale jolted the South China Sea on Tuesday evening, killing one person in Taiwan. But despite an earlier tsunami warning, seismologists say the threat of destructive waves has passed.

China Seismological Bureau said the epicenter of the earthquakes was about 15 kilometers from Taiwan and 350 kilometers from the mainland.

But it was Taiwan that took the brunt of the quakes. They swayed buildings and sent objects flying off the shelves north of the island in Taipei. In the city of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, several high-rise hotels shook violently. And local people fled from buildings as the quakes struck, knocking out lights and setting off car alarms.

In Pingtung County in southern Taiwan, streets were cracked and a major bridge was damaged.

Eight people were trapped in the rubble of a house. Firemen have already rescued four injured people and recovered one body. But they're still working to free three others trapped in the ruins. 20 other people were injured elsewhere in the island.

Strong tremors were felt in Fuzhou

Strong tremors were felt in coastal cities on the mainland including Fuzhou, Xiamen and Guangzhou in Fujian and Guangdong provinces as well as Hong Kong and Macao regions. But no damage or casualties have been reported.

China's National Earthquake Observation estimated little damage from the quakes to the mainland saying the epicenter was far out at sea and that there was no longer any risk of tsunamis. Local governments and seismological departments in the mainland's affected areas have already released information on the quakes to the public.

Editor:Du Xiaodan