Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji on Wednesday offered his condolences to
Afghan interim government Chairman Hamid Karzai after a strong
earthquake hit the northern part of the country.
In
a message to Karzai, Zhu said he was shocked to learn the news of
the earthquake and expressed his sympathy with the Afghan people,
who suffered the tragic loss of life and property.
He
also expressed his belief that under the leadership of Karzai, the
Afghan people will overcome the difficulties brought about by the
calamity and rebuild their homes.
News reports said more than 1,800 people were killed in a series of
strong earthquakes from Monday to Tuesday in northern Afghan
province of
Baghlan and some 4,000 homes were destroyed.
The first shockwave measuring up to 6.0 on the Richter scale struck
around 7:30 p.m. (1500 GMT) Monday, destroying the town of Nahrin
in Baghlan province, some 175 kilometers (109 miles) north of the
Afghan capital Kabul.
(China
Daily March 28, 2002）