A 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Sichuan Province in southwest China on Wednesday left at least one person dead and six others injured. According to the China Seismic Network Center, (CENC), the earthquake occurred in Lushan at 5 p.m. (11 am. in France). It was located 100km west of Chengdu.
Local media posted videos on the internet showing chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, rockslides and rock debris on roads, as well false ceilings falling down to the ground. According to CCTV, the first earthquake-related death toll was one dead, one seriously hurt and five lightly injured.
The channel reported that hundreds of firefighters, police officers, soldiers, first aids, and firefighters were deployed to "search and rescue operations", care for injured people, unblock roads, and transfer residents to safe places. Sichuan firefighters stated that although buildings were damaged, authorities have not yet discovered any collapsed structures.
According to internet users who commented on the Weibo social networking site, the tremor could be felt in many cities of the province, including Chengdu. The earthquake was rated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), at magnitude 5.9.
Sichuan is a mountainous region that is well-known for its panda reserves. It is often struck by earthquakes of different intensities several times per month.
Three people were killed in the province's earthquake last September. At least 10,000 people were also displaced. A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.9 left 87,000 people missing or dead in Sichuan in May 2008.
