Quake in Central China Kills 15, Injures Hundreds
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BEIJING — An earthquake hit parts of central China on Saturday morning, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 450, the government said.
The official New China News Agency said the magnitude 5.7 quake was centered near the city of Ruichang, in Jiangxi province.
The U.S. National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., recorded the magnitude at 5.5.
Hundreds of buildings were destroyed. Most of the damage occurred in Ruichang and in the popular resort town of Jiujiang, the New China News Agency said. Several counties in neighboring Hubei province were also affected.
Chinese Central Television news showed rows of crumbled brick buildings in Ruichang.
The news report also showed a young boy with his head heavily bandaged and a man crying on a bench as he cradled an injured leg. An old man and his injured wife shared a cot at a makeshift medical center that was set up in the street.
Many people in Ruichang, which has a population of about 420,000, preferred to remain outdoors for fear of more aftershocks. About 1,000 tents were being sent to the area, the news agency said.
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