The Associated Press

Mon, May 12, 2008 (12:47 a.m.)

The U.S. Geological Survey says a major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.8 has struck western China. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.

The quake struck 57 miles northwest of the Sichhuan provincial capital of Chengdu at about 2:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, the survey said on its Web site. It said the quake was centered 18 miles below the surface.

A 7.8 magnitude quake is capable of causing widespread, heavy damage. In the capital Beijing, about 930 miles to the northeast, buildings swayed for more than two minutes.

Repeated phone calls to emergency response numbers in Chengdu, a city of about 10 million people, rang busy Monday.