Toyota's Sichuan plant suspends production again due to aftershock

Shanghai, May 21 (Gasgoo.com) Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor Co. (SFTM), a joint venture between China FAW Group Corp, suspends production again just one day after it resumed production.

A spokesman from Toyota China said yesterday SFTM has to suspend production again due to forecast of an aftershock. The provincial seismological bureau in Sichuan warned yesterday a 6.0-7.0 magnitude aftershock might happen, which has sent thousands of survivors spend the night sleeping in cars and in the open.

"We shall further checking on the status of our plant", the spokesman, but didn't say whether the plant will resume production soon.

SFTM has only restarted the daytime shift of the plant on May 19 after it was halted for a week after a deadly earthquake struck the province of Sichuan.

The plant lost production of 380 vehicles over the one-week stoppage. But none of 1,600 employees were hurt.

The death toll from the magnitude 8.0 earthquake on May 12 climbed past 40,075 as of yesterday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Toyota's plant, which can build 13,000 vehicles a year, makes the Coaster bus and Prado sport- utility vehicle, according to the Toyota City, Japan-based automaker.