Aftershock hits Algeria quake zone

Freshly-dug graves at a cemetery in Algiers. Story Tools VIDEO The hope of finding survivors is all but gone. PLAY VIDEO RELATED On the scene: Algerians in great need  • Gallery: Deadly quake hits Algeria  • Interactive: Major quakes in history

ALGIERS, Algeria -- Three people are reported killed and almost 200 injured after a strong aftershock rocked the earthquake-ravaged zone in Algeria on Tuesday.

Algerian national radio reported that the aftershock had a magnitude of 5.8 and was centered just a few miles away from the epicenter of the May 21 earthquake.

Last week's quake had a magnitude of 6.8 and killed at least 2,218 people and injured more than 9,000 others.

Tuesday's aftershock struck Algeria's capital and Mediterranean cities to its east at 1711 GMT (1:11 p.m. ET), and was felt throughout the damaged zone.

Deputy Interior Minister Mohamed Guendil told Algerian state television that reports from witnesses indicated three people were killed when a 15-story apartment block collapsed in the town of Reghaia.

Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni told state radio the aftershock had caused "significant damage."

A Reuters correspondent quoted a policeman in the eastern town of Zemmouri as saying some buildings had collapsed.

Journalist Elias Temlali, of Algerian State Television, told CNN there had been some damage to buildings in Algiers. "Some buildings that were damaged by the first earthquake fell down," he said.

"People just ran outside and then everything returned to normal. People knew very well that it was just an aftershock."

On Saturday, angry crowds pelted Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika with debris and insults when he tried to tour villages devastated by the earthquake. (Full story)

Because of its location on the boundary between two of the Earth's tectonic plates, the Eurasian and the African, Algeria experiences many destructive quakes.

In October 1980, a 7.1 earthquake struck the city of El Asnam (known today as Ech-Cheliff) and killed at least 5,000 people. That city is about 220 kilometers (136 miles) from Wednesday's quake.

Story Tools		Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

EU 'crisis' after summit failure • Iran poll to go to run-off • 40 million credit cards exposed • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues