Three Gorges Dam area not affected by quake

The Three Gorges Hydropower Project was operating normally after a 3.4 magnitude tremor hit Zigui county in central China's Hubei province early on Monday, local authorities said.

The epicenter of Monday's tremor at 6:40 am was some 23 km from the dam at a depth of 5 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The quake was felt strongly in Zigui and Badong counties. No casualties have been reported thus far, said a statement from the Three Gorges construction and operation administrative bureau.

The water level and the navigation of ships in the Three Gorges reservoir were normal with no reports of any large landslides, the statement added.

Two quakes, measuring 4.3 and 4.7, respectively, hit Zigui County in March. Both quakes were felt in the dam area but did not affect the structure.

The Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system, consisting of a 2,309 meter long, 185 meter high dam, a five tiers of locks, and 26 hydropower turbo-generators.

The project generates electricity, controls floods and helps to regulate the river's shipping capacity.