A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Qiaojia County in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province at 19:00 on January 19th, forcing the emergency evacuation of 31 households and 86 residents.
According to the China Earthquake Administration, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers with the epicenter located in Qiaojia County, Zhaotong City (27.01 degrees north latitude, 103.41 degrees east longitude) at 19:32 on January 19th.
Local netizens posted on social media describing the intense shaking of doors and windows, falling flowerpots, and significant swaying of chandeliers in high-rise buildings during the earthquake.
A viral video showed a chandelier in a resident’s home continuously swinging, with the female homeowner frightened to take shelter under a table and emitting groans of fear.
The principal of Chongxi Town Central Primary School told the Xinjing News that they felt their office desk shaking, then received a warning on their phones. The teachers quickly organized the students to evacuate to the playground. Surveillance footage depicted hundreds of students running out of the classroom building and heading towards the playground.
Reports from The Paper and Xinhua News Agency indicated that in the vicinity of the epicenter, including Baogucao Township in Qiaojia County, Zhidian Township in Lüdian County, and Zhizhang Township in Huize County, there were reports of strong tremors with some houses experiencing tile falling and wall cracks. As of the early hours of January 20th, no casualties have been reported, with 31 households and 86 individuals relocated for safety.
According to the China Earthquake Administration’s rapid report catalog, within the 200-kilometer radius of the epicenter, there have been a total of 147 earthquakes of magnitude 3 and above in the past five years, with the largest being the recent earthquake and a 5.1-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Xingwen County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province on April 6, 2022.