An elderly person was reported dead following the 5.1-magnitude earthquake that hit Lindian County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province at 11:43 PM on Monday. 12 others have been injured and about 1,100 homes damaged, the province's seismological bureau reported.

About 2,500 people in the area have been evacuated.

The deceased was an 81-year-old man who had a stroke.

No serious damage was reported at the nearby Daqing Oilfield, China's largest oil-producing base.

The seismological bureau placed the epicenter 10 kilometers below the earth's surface.

"At least 30 aftershocks were reported through to the later part of the morning," said Zheng Jilie, head of the seismological bureau.

"We've been keeping an eye on the potential for an earthquake in Daqing for years, but our technology is incapable of predicting where and when such a quake will occur."

Shock waves were felt as far away as Harbin, the provincial capital, about 180 kilometers to the east.

By last night, about 2,540 people had been evacuated from the most affected areas, a source for the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

About 1,140 roofs collapsed or were damaged in the disaster's worst hit areas including Huayuan Township, the source said.

About 100 tents have been sent to house those rendered homeless.

(China Daily July 27, 2005)