The New York Times says U.S. experts are very interested in whether Chinese nuclear facilities in Sichuan Province were affected by the earthquake that struck the region Monday.

The newspaper on Friday quoted U.S. nuclear experts as saying that while the facilities were likely built to withstand a quake, it cannot be ruled out that radioactive materials may have been released.

According to the paper, China's main complex for making nuclear warhead fuel, codenamed Plant 821, is located about 24 kilometers northwest of Guangyuan in Sichuan Province.

The paper also noted that closer to the epicenter is Mianyang, a research complex which houses the primary laboratory for the design of Chinese nuclear arms.

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