Supercomputer shut down due to China blasts

China shut down supercomputer Tianhe-1A, which can perform 2.57 quadrillion computing operations per second, due to blasts in Tianjin city as it was located a few kilometres from the site of the explosions that killed 44 people.

Tianhe-1A is located at the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin, reported Xinhua.

The shockwaves due to the blasts shattered windows at the centre and and led to the collapse of ceilings inside the building, according to the centre's staff.

Centre director Liu Guangming said the supercomputer was still running smoothly after the blast.

Protected by a reinforced computer room, the supercomputer and its database are intact, said Liu.

Liu and his staff said they decided to manually shut down Tianhe-1A half an hour after the blasts due to security concerns.

Two explosions ripped through a warehouse where dangerous chemicals were stored in north Tianjin City late Wednesday night.

Tianhe-1A was recognized as the world's fastest computing system in 2010, according to a biannual Top 500 supercomputer list.