Possibility of large aftershock looms in Gansu province

Comprehensive analysis showed that there is a possibility of strong aftershocks with a magnitude of 5.0 in the near future in the epicenter area of the 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Jishishan county in Gansu province, according to a news conference on Tuesday morning.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake jolted at 11:59 pm on Monday and had a focal depth of 10 km. The epicenter Liugou township is about 8 km from the county seat of Jishishan in Linxia Hui autonomous prefecture, Gansu.

The analysis was based on the characteristics of the seismic zone, historical seismic activity and the type of earthquake sequence in the region, a local official said at the conference.

As of 8 am, 32 aftershocks have been recorded, with the largest registering a magnitude of 4.0, said Han Shujun, a spokesperson for the provincial emergency management department, at the press conference.

As of 7:50 am on Tuesday, the quake has killed 105 people in the province.

It was also strongly felt in the neighboring Qinghai province, causing 13 deaths, according to earlier reports.