Minor quake jolts E Beijing, high buildings evacuated

Source: Xinhua | 05-12-2008 15:53

BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale jolted Tongzhou District in east Beijing Monday afternoon.

The quake struck at 2:35 p.m. Beijing Time and the epicenter was initially determined to be 39.8 degrees north latitude and 116.8 degrees east longitude, according to the China's Seismological Forecast Network.

There are no immediate reports of casualties or damages.

Lisa Wang, an office worker in Oriental Plaza at downtown Beijing, said the whole building was evacuated after the tremor.

"My colleagues, more than 50 people, rushed downstairs from the sixth floor into the open space in front of the building. There a large number of people, also office workers in the plaza, were already there and more people then poured out," she said.

She said the people, hundreds in number, stayed for about 15 minutes outside before returning to offices.

Editor:Zhang Ning