On June 5 at 4:31 am local time, a 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck Eryuan County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The earthquake originated at a depth of 10 kilometers. Videos posted online by netizens showed that the earthquake was frightening, prompting many residents to quickly evacuate their buildings.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the epicenter of the earthquake was approximately 18 kilometers from Eryuan County town, affecting villages within a 5-kilometer radius including Liandu Village, Lishiyan Village, Sanying Village, Niujie Village, Huoyanshan, Shiyan Village, Baicaoluo, Datong Village, Zhangjiadeng, and Shiyan Head. Towns within a 20-kilometer radius such as Niujie Township, Sanying Town, Xiyi Town, Shaxi Town, Cibilake Town, Yuhu Town, and Sideng Town were also impacted.
Reported by state media CGTN, villages near the epicenter experienced strong tremors, resulting in road blockages and house damages. Thankfully, no casualties or entrapments were reported, and local authorities are currently organizing evacuations. Following the earthquake, the local government initiated a Level III emergency response for earthquake relief and rescue efforts.
Many local residents shared their experiences on social media, with some saying, “The earthquake woke us all up,” and “It was a 3 at 2 am, then a 5 at 4:31! The aftershocks from previous days should be releasing energy,” while others expressed fear, wondering if this was the main tremor.
Videos circulated online depict buildings in the area swaying, with residents quickly evacuating. One netizen remarked, “The earthquake was intense, everyone rushed downstairs.” The footage showed residents filling the open spaces in the community seeking safety.
Additionally, cities like Lijiang, Binchuan, and Heqing also felt the earthquake strongly, causing many residents to wake up. A netizen from Dali commented, “I was startled awake at four in the morning, just when I thought I was moving beyond the shadows of the previous earthquake in Myanmar, this happened.”
Prior to this earthquake, an unusual phenomenon where fish leaped out of Dianchi Lake in Yunnan on June 1 had sparked concerns among many netizens about a potential earthquake. However, officials quickly debunked the speculation, stating that there were no abnormal geomagnetic activities or pre-earthquake signs. Kunming Dianchi Management Bureau emphasized that the phenomenon was due to a lack of oxygen in the water caused by rainfall on that day.
Following the earthquake today, some netizens sarcastically referenced the previous report about the fish phenomenon, saying, “Current experts are even worse than ‘fish’ now.”
In response, netizens commented, “If you knew the expertise of the personnel, you’d probably understand,” and “These expert positions are like hereditary posts.”
The topic of “Yunnan Dali 5.0 magnitude earthquake” sparked heated discussions online, quickly rising to the top of Weibo’s trending list on the morning of June 5.