Death toll continues to rise following powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake in China

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A deadly earthquake struck China’s southwest Sichuan province just after noon local time, adding more issues to a region that’s been dealing with an ongoing drought and COVID-19 restrictions.

By Allison Finch, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Sep. 5, 2022 2:54 PM BST | Updated Sep. 5, 2022 7:11 PM BST

At least 46 people were killed and more than 50 were injured after a strong earthquake shock China’s southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday, according to state media, AFP reported.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the 6.6 magnitude earthquake shook the province capital of Chengdu around 1 pm local time on Monday. Preliminary measurements from different agencies can tend to differ slightly.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the earthquake struck a mountainous area in the town of Luding, which is 140 miles (227 km) from Chengdu, Reuters reported.

While there has been no reported damage to dams and hydropower stations within 31 miles (50 km) of the epicenter, the provincial grid sustained damage, affecting more than 40,000 users, according to Reuters.

Video clips on social media showed water splashing out of fish tanks, lights swinging and people rushing out of buildings and onto the streets.

Earthquakes are common in Sichuan province since it sits on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which is a tectonically active area.

This afternoon, An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred in Ganzi, Sichuan.🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/NYNzE7cmo1

— Sharing travel (@TripInChina) September 5, 2022

“There was a strong earthquake in June, but it wasn’t very scary,” resident Jiang Danli told The Associated Press. “This time, I was really scared because I live on a high floor and the shaking made me dizzy.”

Danli, who lives on the 31st floor, told the AP that she hid under her desk for more than five minutes while many of her neighbors ran downstairs.

Between earthquakes, an ongoing drought, extreme heat waves and a COVID-19 outbreak, Danli described the past two months as being “weird.”

In 2008, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake killed nearly 90,000 people in Sichuan. After the quake destroyed schools, towns and rural communities outside of Sichuan, residents spent years rebuilding.

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