At least two people were killed after a magnitude-5.2 earthquake struck China’s southwestern Guangxi region early Monday morning, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate as rescue operations continue.
According to Chinese state media, more than 7,000 people in the city of Liuzhou were evacuated following the tremor, while search and rescue teams remain on the ground looking for a person still reported missing.
State broadcaster CCTV and Xinhua News Agency confirmed that four others were sent to hospital, although none suffered life-threatening injuries.
Authorities also reported that 13 buildings collapsed during the quake, which struck in the early hours of Monday.
Railway authorities warned of possible transport disruptions as inspections were carried out to assess the safety and structural integrity of rail infrastructure in the affected area.
Despite the damage, state media reported that communication networks, electricity supply, water, gas services and road traffic operations in the region were largely functioning normally.
The earthquake has raised fresh concerns over public safety and infrastructure resilience in parts of southern China prone to seismic activity.
