Seismologists at China's State Seismology Bureau have warned of the possibility of aftershocks measuring five on the Richter scale, after analysing data from Saturday's earthquake in Hebei Province, Xinhua news agency reported.

Nearly fifty people died and thousands were hurt in Saturday's quake in the northern Chinese region.

"Gao Xu, deputy director of the Beijing Seismology Bureau, says there is a good possibility of quakes measuring four or five on the Richter Scale occurring in the danger zone in the near future, and explains that earthquake activity parameters in the zone recently are abnormal, with more frequent and more intense earthquakes," the agency said.

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