Three dead and dozens injured in earthquake in southwest China
16 September 2021, 18:04
Rescue work was under way following the magnitude 6.0 earthquake.
Three people died and dozens were injured when an earthquake hit China’s southwest Sichuan province.
Rescue work was under way following the magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Thursday.
The quake struck at 4.33am in Luxian, a county in the city of Luzhou, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
State broadcaster CCTV said 88 people were injured, three seriously, and that 35 houses had collapsed.
The epicentre was about 120 miles (200km) southeast of Chengdu, the provincial capital.
Xinhua reported that collapsed walls and houses could be seen on the way to the epicentre, and that electricity had been cut in much of Jiaming town. Residents could be seen cleaning up.
Rescue workers were going door-to-door in heavy rain searching for people in damaged homes in Fuji town to move them to temporary shelters, Xinhua said.
Workers distributed mooncakes, a traditional treat for next week’s mid-autumn festival, and other food at one shelter.
Lai Jianrong, a Fuji resident, told Xinhua that she felt a mild tremor at around 4am and ran out barefoot in her nightgown when the tremors became intense.
“Some bricks fell off the wall and I didn’t dare to go in again,” the agency quoted her as saying.
More than 3,200 people have been moved to 79 shelters, CCTV said.
