Published by: World Tibet Network News Saturday, November 8, 1997

BEIJING, Nov 8 (AFP) - A large earthquake hit China's far western Xinjiang region and Tibet Saturday with seismic agencies measuring its magnitude at from 6.3 to 7.9 on the Richter scale. The earthquake, which struck just after 1000 GMT, was measured by Beijing's seismic agency at 7.5 on the Richter scale and was centered in the south of Xinjiang not far from the Tibetan border.

A monitor in the Beijing office said "very, very few people" lived in the area. But Japan's meteorological agency said the quake measured 7.9 on the Richter scale -- just below the 8.0 magnitude of a "great" earthquake -- and was centered 10 kilometres (six miles) below ground about 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Lhasa on the Tibetan plateau.

That area is also believed to be sparsely populated.

The French seismic monitoring center in Strasbourg also recorded the earthquake, placing it where the Chinese office said the center was located and recording it as 6.3 in magnitude. An earthquake measuring 7.9 is capable of causing widespread, heavy damage in a populated area. Magnitude 6.0 can cause severe damage.

No other information was immediately available.