TIMELINE: Major earthquakes in China

(Reuters) - The most devastating earthquake to hit China in three decades killed up to 9,000 people on Monday as schools, factories and other buildings were toppled, with the death toll likely to soar.

Here are details of some of the biggest earthquakes in China in the last 30 years:

May 12, 2008 - At least 8,500 people were killed in Sichuan province alone after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region.

February 2003 - At least 94 people are killed and more than 200 injured when a quake measuring 6.8 hits sparsely populated Jiashi county in the remote northwestern region of Xinjiang.

January 1998 - At least 47 people are killed and more than 2,000 injured when an earthquake measuring 6.2 rocks northern Hebei province, devastating mud and brick homes in two rural counties.

Apr. 1997 - A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 hits Xinjiang, killing nine people and injuring 60.

January 1997 - Earthquake measuring 6.4 kills up to 50 people and injures more than 40 in Xinjiang.

May 1996 - Earthquake measuring 6.4 rocks Inner Mongolia, killing 15 people and injuring more than 200. Nearly 400 aftershocks follow.

March 1996 - Earthquake measuring 6.9 jolts Xinjiang, killing 26 people, injuring 128.