Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

    BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- A moderate aftershock, measuring 6 on the Richter scale, jolted Jiangyou City in Sichuan Province at 1:08 a.m. Sunday.

    As of 8 p.m. Saturday, 146 aftershocks measuring 4 or higher on the Richter scale had been monitored in areas hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on May 12, according to the China Seismological Bureau (CSB).

    The biggest aftershock reported so far is a 6.1-magnitude quake at 3:07 p.m. on May 13. Quakes at or above 5 on the Richter scale numbered 23.

    The national rescue team sent by the CSB together with rescue teams sent by provinces had saved 251 survivors as of 8 p.m. Saturday, according to the CSB.

    The devastating quake, centered on Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province, affected many parts of the country. The death toll nationwide reached 28,881 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Saturday, while 198,347 people were injured.