Earthquake in Laos, felt in Thailand and Vietnam

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6,1 struck western Laos near the border with Thailand yesterday, sending people fleeing buildings and running for cover as far away as Bangkok and Hanoi.
The center of the quake, which occurred at 3:56 pm in Laos, was about 100 miles northwest of the old Lao royal capital of Luang Prabang, now a famous tourist destination, and 170 miles northeast of the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.
In Thailand, the earthquake was measured at 5,7 magnitudes on the Richter Scale by the Hydrographic Department.
A spokesman for the Disaster Mitigation and Prevention Center in Thailand declared that there were no reports of important damage.