Earthquake measuring 7.6 Richter scale hits SW China

People gather on a street in Zhengzhou, capital of north  China's Henan Province, after an earthquake occurred on May  12, 2008. A major earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale  jolted Wenchuan County of Southwest China's Sichuan province  at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. Earthquake was felt in Zhengzhou,  Chongqing, Chengdu and Beijing.(Xinhua Photo)

Telecom networks in the cities of Chengdu, Chongqing and Zhengzhou broke down for a while after the quake. People complained they were unable to complete calls on either fixed lines or cell phones.

In Zhengzhou, capital of central Henan Province, people rushed out of homes and offices.

Many said they felt dizzy and saw the ceiling light fixtures swinging back and forth.

In Lanzhou, capital of the northwestern Gansu Province, the quake set off alarms of many parked cars by the roadside.

Xinhua reporters in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, said they felt their office building rocking back and forth for about four minutes.