Strong Earthquake Still Possible in Xinjiang: Expert

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Strong Earthquake Still Possible in Xinjiang: Expert

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An earthquake expert warned Monday night that a strong hit measuring about six on the Richter scale is still possible in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region though the aftershock in the region is losing its power.

Jiashi, an ancient town on the once glorious Silk Road, and its neighboring county Bachu, were struck hard by a 6.8-degree earthquake Monday morning, which so far has killed more than 260 people.

Gao Guoying, a director with the forecast center of the Xinjiang Seismological Bureau, said the experts in her bureau willkeep a close watch on the changing situation of the aftershocks.

Gao's warning of another possible strong shake was echoed by Chen Ronghua and Liu Jie, two earthquake experts from the China Seismological Bureau based in Beijing.

Monday's earthquake was the mostly deadly in this area since the People's Republic of China was founded. It was also the 19th quake measuring above five on the Richter scale to hit the area inthe last seven years.

Gao said Jiashi lies within a major earthquake zone in China's inner area. Located on the northeast of the Pamirs arcuate structure, the area is affected by compression from the Indian Ocean Plate and the Eurasia Plate.

The compression can accumulate huge amounts of energy which can lead to strong earthquakes, according to Gao.

In regard to micro-geographical environment, the area of Jiashi lies on the intersecting point of the Tarim Basin and the Keping block body.

Surprisingly, Gao said, there were few reports of earthquakes, even minor ones, in this area during the century before March 1996,while Wuqia, a nearby county, had been struck by repeated strong earthquakes measuring above seven on the Richter scale in the same period.

A major earthquake measuring 6.9 hit Jiashi in March 1996. In the period from January 1997 to August 1998, the area was devastated by nine quakes measuring above six on the Richter scale,which caused a total loss of 1.4 billion yuan (about 168.7 million US dollars).

The repeated strong earthquakes in this area have aroused the attention of Chinese seismologists and experts have started researching the phenomenon. Their research has been listed on the projects of National Natural Science Foundation.

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