The magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck about 26 miles (43 kilometers) southeast of the city of Kangding at a depth of about six miles, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Fourteen people died in Shimian County and seven were killed in neighboring Luding County, while more than 30 were injured, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Tremors also shook buildings in the capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu, and the nearby city of Chongqing. One resident, Chen, said: “I felt it very strongly and some of my ground floor neighbors said they felt it very strongly. “But because Chengdu is under epidemic management, people are not allowed to leave their residences, so many of them ran outside to their yards.” CCTV reported that landslides triggered by the earthquake caused “severe damage” in at least one town. A road to another town was blocked and telecommunications lines in areas where more than 10,000 people live were cut, the broadcaster said, adding that the tremors also forced some power plants offline in Garzê and Ya’an. A video posted online by the China Earthquake Networks Center showed boulders tumbling down mountainsides in Luding County, raising clouds of dust as the tremors caused telephone lines to sway. State media reported that several aftershocks were recorded in nearby areas. A smaller 4.6-magnitude tremor struck eastern Tibet less than an hour after the initial quake, according to the USGS. Hundreds of rescuers were sent to the scene, CCTV said, showing footage of firefighters in orange overalls climbing into trucks and navigating a highway littered with rocks and other debris. The Sichuan seismological authority said more than 1,000 soldiers were brought in to help rescuers. Authorities also sent thousands of tents, blankets and rollaway beds to the affected areas, according to the TV station. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Chinese President Xi Jinping called on local authorities to “put saving lives first, make every effort to rescue people in disaster-hit areas and minimize loss of life,” CCTV reported. A Chongqing resident said the quake was “quite noticeable” and shook lights and furniture in his fifth-floor apartment. An 8.0 magnitude earthquake in 2008 in Sichuan left tens of thousands dead and caused massive damage. In June, at least four people were killed and dozens injured in two earthquakes in southwestern China. Authorities in Chengdu extended the city’s lockdown on Sunday as coronavirus cases surged. The region has also endured a summer of extreme weather, with a record-breaking heatwave causing rivers to dry up in areas including Chongqing.
