Powerful Earthquakes Hit Chinese Cities, 3 Dead

At least four cities in China, in Northwest China's Qinghai Province, Southwest China's Sichuan and Yunnan Province, and North China's Shaanxi Province, were jolted by earthquakes in 24 hours.

At least three deaths were reported so far as reported by state media. The 6.4 magnitude quake in Yunnan's Yangbi county, with a focal depth of eight kilometers, caused three deaths and injured 27 on Saturday morning.

No casualties were reported in earthquakes that occurred in the other three regions yet.

Hours after the 6.4 magnitude quake in Yunnan, Maduo county of Qinghai reported an earthquake with a 7.4 magnitude, regarded as the biggest earthquake in China



after the Wenchuan earthquake of 8.2 magnitude in Southwest China's Sichuan Province in 2008.

The Maduo county in Qinghai reported a total of 104 aftershocks and 40 earthquakes of magnitude 3 and above.

The strong earthquakes in Qinghai collapsed one expressway and a river bridge.

Some other roads were severely deformed and cracked. Affected by the earthquake, several railway lines in Yunnan Province suspended operation. 

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake also occurred in Xuyong county of Sichuan Province early Saturday and a magnitude 3.6 earthquake occurred in Shangnan county, North China's Shaanxi Province on Saturday morning.