Four dead, 67 injured in Algeria earthquake- Radio

Algeris, Mar 21: At least four people including three children were killed and 67 people were hurt when an earthquake measuring 5.8 hit northeastern Algeria, state radio reported today (Mar 21, 2006).

The tremor yesterday evening triggered the collapse of about 30 buildings in and around the village of Laalam in the province of Bejaia, 300 km east of the capital Algiers, the radio reported.

The dead children were aged 5, 9, and 13.

It was the deadliest tremor to have struck the earthquake-prone North African country since a 2003 quake in Boumerdes, northern Algeria, killed 2,300 people, injured more than 10,000 and made at least 100,000 homeless.

An investigation into the Boumerdes quake found serious faults in the construction of houses, apartment blocks and high-rise buildings which collapsed.

Authorities have since tightened construction rules.

Reuters