4.8-magnitude earthquake rattles Sichuan; many people unfazed

A magnitude-4.8 earthquake shook Wenchuan county in Sichuan province, at 11:36 pm on Wednesday, the China Earthquake Networks Center reported. 

The epicenter, at a depth of 15 kilometers, was 76 kilometers from Chengdu. No casualties were reported.

The Sichuan Earthquake Administration said the quake originated in the southern part of the Wenchuan aftershock area and was fluctuating.

On May 12, 2008, a magnitude-8.0 temblor rocked Yingxiu town in Wenchuan, killing 69,226 people and leaving 17,923 unaccounted for.

With its mountainous terrain, Sichuan province has frequent earthquakes. Since 1970, a total of 120 quakes of at least magnitude-4.0 have occurred within 50 kilometers of the epicenter of Wednesday’s quake, the local government said.

While some people sought open areas for safety near the epicenter on Wednesday, many others were unfazed, cooking and eating barbecue at an evening bazaar. They said they had been desensitized by the frequent quakes.