An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 struck Liunan District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi, in the early hours of Monday, May 18. The earthquake originated from a depth of 8,000 meters and has resulted in three deaths, four injuries, and the collapse of 14 buildings.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the earthquake of magnitude 5.2 hit Liunan District of Liuzhou City at 00:21 on May 18. Before and after this main quake, there were five earthquakes ranging from magnitudes 2.2 to 3.2.
Video circulating online shows strong shaking during the earthquake, causing buildings to collapse, and prompting a large number of people to evacuate to open spaces for safety.
According to mainland media such as Jimo News, the epicenter of the quake was in the area of Taiyang Village, Liunan District. Preliminary statistics indicate approximately 14 buildings have collapsed, four people were injured, three are missing, and over 7,000 people have been relocated.
As reported by CCTV News, as of 11:10 on May 18, three trapped individuals were found at the disaster site. Medical personnel confirmed all had unfortunately died, with two of them being a married couple.
The impact of the earthquake was felt across a wide area, affecting residents in Liuzhou, Nanning, Guilin, Wuzhou, Guigang, Hechi, and Laibin, among other places.
Some survivors took to social media to share that their Shiba Inu started barking continuously about 40 seconds before the earthquake hit, prompting the entire family to evacuate in time, resulting in no injuries.
A resident of Taiyang Village, Ms. Huang, told Xinhua News Agency that she was asleep when the earthquake struck. She was awakened by her mother’s cries and upon exiting the house, she witnessed neighboring buildings collapsing and residents fleeing from their homes.
Due to the earthquake’s impact, temporary traffic controls have been implemented on some roads in Liuzhou.