(June 30, 2009) Thousands of houses and dozens of small bridges were destroyed during a 5.6-magnitude aftershock that struck Mianzhu, Sichuan province, at 2:03 am Tuesday morning.

Several people suffered minor injuries but no fatalities were reported. Officials said the aftershock of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake destroyed 8,600 houses owned by farmers, 60 small bridges and about 30 kilometers of fiber-optic cables.

The China Earthquake Administration website said one construction worker fractured his hand trying to open a door.

The seismologists in Sichuan have not ruled out the possibility of future aftershocks in the area. Aftershocks to a major earthquake could continue for years.

So far, scientists have recorded 57,000 aftershocks in the province following last year’s 8.0-magnitude Wenchuan earthquake, according to the Sichuan Earthquake Administration.

Qin Zhongwei, chinadaily.com.cn, June 30, 2009