At least 4 people have died and 14 others have been injured following two earthquakes measuring 6.1 and 4.5 on the Richter scale in Sichuan, southwestern China.
A strong earthquake measuring 6.1 struck in a sparsely populated area of Luxian County, Ya’an City, Sichuan Province, approximately 100 km west of the provincial capital Chengdu.
The China Earthquake Networks Center reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 17 km around 5 PM. The United States Geological Survey assessed the quake at a magnitude of 5.9 and a depth of about 10 km.
Debris scattered on the streets of Sichuan, China, after the twin earthquakes on June 1. (Photo: Weibo).
About three minutes later, a second earthquake measuring 4.5 occurred in the nearby area, causing casualties. Local authorities have deployed thousands of personnel for search and rescue operations.
Sichuan officials reported that several buildings in the area were damaged, but there have been no reports of any building collapses.
Debris scattered on the streets of Luxian County, Sichuan Province, China, on June 1. (Video: Weibo).
Sichuan Province, located in southwestern China, is known for its seismic activity. An earthquake at the border of Sichuan and Yunnan earlier this year injured over 20 people.
In September 2021, an earthquake in Sichuan resulted in three fatalities and dozens of injuries, while tens of thousands of homes were damaged. In 2008, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan County, Sichuan, claimed the lives of tens of thousands and caused significant destruction.
Location of Sichuan (Sichuan). (Graphic: BBC).
