China quake zone hit by aftershock amid fears over quake lake bursting

A magnitude 5.3 aftershock struck China's quake-battered Sichuan province on Thursday amid concerns over rising water levels in a lake formed by landslides from the massive May 12 temblor.

There were no immediate reports of new damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the aftershock struck at 12:41 p.m. just south of the town of Qingchuan at the relatively shallow depth of six miles (10 kilometers).

Authorities had earlier begun evacuating people downstream from Tangjiashan lake, formed above the devastated town of Beichuan, after water rose to within six feet (two meters) of flooding its bank, threatening up to 1 million quake survivors.

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