HANOI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale jolted the South China Sea Tuesday, triggering fear that tsunamis might affect Vietnam's sea waters stretching from central Quang Binh province to southernmost Ca Mau province, Vietnam News Agency reported.
Vietnam's National Hydrometeorology Center and Steering Committee on Flood and Storm Prevention have asked provinces likely to be affected by the earthquake's aftermath to evacuate residents, boats and ships near seashores.
The center and the committee cited a report by the Japan Meteorological Agency as saying that the earthquake occurred at 19:34 p.m. (1234 GMT) near China's Taiwan.
According to China Seismological Bureau, two earthquakes – the first measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale and the second measuring 6.7 -- hit the South China Sea on Tuesday. The epicenter was located at 21.9 degrees north latitude and 120.6 degrees east longitude, about 350 kilometers from the Chinese mainland and 15 kilometers from Taiwan.
