Following an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale
striking central China's Hubei Province on Friday, around 6,000
evacuees started to return home on Monday.?
Shops, restaurants and gas stations resumed business and schools
have reopened, local civil affairs sources said Monday.?
The quake struck Sanligang Township, of Zengdu District, Suizhou
City, at 6:52 PM Friday. There was a further quake on Saturday
measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale.??
No casualties were reported but 4,318 houses in 39 villages were
damaged and 5,860 people were relocated. The provincial Red Cross
Society and local civil affairs agencies delivered bedding and
tents to the quake-hit area.???
The Zengdu district government dispatched work teams on Saturday
to the affected villages to check the damaged properties, said Liu
Hongye, a senior district official.??
Local governments had earmarked 200,000 yuan (about US$25,000)
for relief work, said Liu. More funds would be allocated for the
reconstruction of damaged homes.??
Six minor aftershocks were detected on Saturday and Sunday in
the area but seismologists ruled out the possibility of strong
tremors in the near future.?
(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2006)