A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southwestern China during the early hours of Monday morning, resulting in casualties, localized structural collapses, and mass evacuations.
According to regional emergency management authorities, at least two people have been confirmed dead, and one person remains missing.
Four additional individuals were pulled from the debris and transported to a local hospital. Medical officials confirmed that while the victims sustained various injuries, none of them are currently in life-threatening condition, as reported by Reuters.
Emergency Evacuations and Structural Damage
The seismic event caused significant disruption in the prefecture-level city of Liuzhou and its surrounding rural communities.
- Displacement: More than 7,000 residents have been urgently evacuated to temporary shelters as a precautionary measure against potential aftershocks.
- Structural Impact: Initial damage assessments indicate that at least 13 buildings suffered complete collapse during the initial tremors early Monday morning, while dozens of others sustained varying degrees of structural compromise.
Search and rescue teams, alongside local civil defense units, remain actively deployed in the affected zone, clearing rubble and searching for the missing individual. Government agencies are currently distributing emergency supplies, including tents, blankets, and clean drinking water, to the displaced population.
