At least 3 killed, 60 injured after shallow M6.0 earthquake hits Sichuan, China
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) as M6.0 hit southwest China's Sichuan Province at 20:33 UTC on September 15, 2021 (04:33 LT, September 16). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). Both USGS and EMSC are reporting it as M5.4 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
The epicenter was located about 52 km (33 miles) WSW of Yongchuan (population 94 465), 55 km (34 miles) SE of Neijiang (population 546 854), 62 km (38 miles) ESE of Zigong (population 689 961), Sichuan, China.
According to the USGS PAGER report, 15 000 people are estimated to have felt very strong shaking and 372 000 strong.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and an Orange alert for economic losses. Significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of China. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe block and unreinforced brick with mud construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
According to the deputy head of the Sichuan earthquake administration, the quake occurred in the fracture zone of Huaying Mountain.1
3 people were confirmed dead and 60 others were sent to hospital, among them 3 were seriously injured, Luzhou City emergency management bureau said.
The earthquake relief headquarters of Sichuan has activated a level-II response, the second-highest in China's four-tier earthquake emergency response system.
After the quake, Luzhou City has launched a level-I emergency response and nearly 3 000 people have been mobilized for rescue. Tents have been set up for the residents' temporary evacuation in a village of the county's Fuji Township.
The Luzhou high-speed railway station has been closed and all coal mines ordered to halt underground operations and evacuate miners in shafts.
References:
1 3 dead, 60 injured in 6.0-magnitude Sichuan earthquake – Xinhua
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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