Magnitude 4.7 earthquake hits Northern China

The US Geological Survey reported a 4.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Northern China Monday morning, trembling buildings in the capital Beijing.

According to the report from L'Agence France-Presse, the quake occured at 10:22am (0222 GMT) at a depth of 38.7 kilometres (24 miles), about 47 kilometres east of Tangshan city, the place of one of China's worst ever earthquakes, which killed an probable 242,000 people in 1976.

Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The government of China measured the Monday's earthquake at a somewhat stronger 4.8 magnitude, based on the statement by the China Earthquake Network Centre. — ARA