6-magnitude quake hits southern China; 2 killed

BEIJING: Two people have been killed after a 6-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China in the early hours of Thursday, state media reported.

The earthquake was recorded at 4:33 am (local time) with its epicenter at 29.2 degrees north latitude and 105.34 degrees east longitude at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude of the quake at 5.4 but the China Earthquake Networks Centre measured it at magnitude 6.0.

It struck around 120 kilometres southwest of the sprawling megacity of Chongqing, which along with its surrounding area is home to around 30 million people.

China Global Television Network (CGTN) said the local government had confirmed two deaths, without specifying where they had been killed or providing further details.

The Xinhua news agency said Luzhou City had sent emergency personnel to the area, without elaborating.

USGS said that “significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread”, in a preliminary assessment.

(With inputs from Agencies)