The water levels in two reservoirs affected in the earthquakes that struck northwest China's Gansu province Saturday night are under safety lines, according to local officials.  

Two quakes, measuring 6.1 and 5.8 on the Richter scale, jolted areas between Minle and Shandan counties of Zhangye City at 20:41 and 20:48 Saturday.

 

Shortly after the damage was noticed to the Shuangshusi and Zhaizhaizi reservoirs in Minle county, local authorities decided to discharge water to guarantee the safety of local people and property on the lower reaches of the reservoirs.

 

The water storage was reduced from 24 million cubic meters to 18.85 million cubic meters in Shuangshusi reservoir and from 14 million cubic meters to 13.6 million cubic meters in Zhaizhaizi reservoir.

 

Some fields were flooded, but the discharge did not cause injuries, according to Tian Baozhong, mayor of Zhangye city.

 

Tian said the situation will pose no danger as long as no more earthquakes hit in the near future.

 

As the emergency discharge did not affect locals' normal life, Tian said, the planned relocation had not gone ahead.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2003)