Strong quake hits China's Sichuan ahead of Games

(Changes dateline from WASHINGTON)

BEIJING, Aug 5 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake rocked the western Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Gansu on Tuesday, near the site of May's devastating quake that killed at least 70,000 people, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the 6.0-magnitude quake, whose epicentre was 1,253 km (778 miles) southwest of Beijing. The magnitude of May's quake was 7.9.

A shallow quake of Tuesday's magnitude is capable of significant property damage.

The Olympic torch was paraded in the capital of earthquake-hit Sichuan province on Tuesday on its journey to Beijing, where the Games will open on Friday. (Reporting by John Chalmers; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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