Flights from Beijing to quake-affected areas in southwest China were delayed on May 12, according to the Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA).

The flights from Beijing to Chengdu, capital of the quake-stricken southwest Sichuan Province, neighboring Chongqing municipality, and Xi'an, in the northwestern Shaanxi Province where the tremor was also felt, were all delayed, an airport spokesman said.

The spokesman said figures were not available yet on how many flights and passengers were affected as they were still processing the numbers.

Passengers were asked to call the enquiry number +86-(0)10-64541100 at the airport for information on their flights.

A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. on May 12, according to the State Seismological Bureau.