Strong earthquake rocks southwest China, the level of destruction is not known
On Monday afternoon, a powerful quake rocked a section of southwestern China. How much damage or injuries resulted from it was unclear at first.
Xinhua reported that a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Luding county in Sichuan province at 12:52 p.m.
The epicentre of the magnitude 6.6 earthquake was located at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles), as reported by the United States Geological Survey. Initial measurements from various organisations frequently vary by a small margin. More destruction is typically caused by shallower earthquakes.
Sichuan is frequently struck by earthquakes due to its location on the boundary between the Asian and Eurasian tectonic plates, where the Tibetan plateau begins. At least four persons were killed by two earthquakes in June.
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale, was the deadliest earthquake in China in recent memory, killing approximately 90,000. Outside of Chengdu, the province capital, the earthquake wreaked havoc on towns, schools, and rural settlements, necessitating a multi-year effort to rebuild using stronger materials.
Newest quake’s epicentre is in a hilly region roughly 125 miles (200 kilometres) southwest of Chengdu.