A 5.2‑magnitude earthquake has struck Liuzhou city in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region of south China, killing a couple and damaging dozens of buildings. The shallow quake hit Liunan District at about 12:21am local time on Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
State media reported that the victims were a 63‑year‑old man and his 53‑year‑old wife, who died when their home collapsed during the tremor. At least 13 buildings were confirmed to have collapsed and more than 100 others were damaged to varying degrees, while one person remained missing as of Monday morning.
The quake, which struck at a depth of about 8km, was felt in several surrounding cities including Nanning, Guilin and Wuzhou, prompting residents to rush out of their homes in panic. Videos shared by Chinese media showed people fleeing high‑rise buildings and piles of rubble where structures had caved in.
Authorities activated a Level‑IV emergency response, dispatching rescue teams, firefighters, medical workers and search‑and‑rescue dogs to the affected areas. More than 7,000 residents were reportedly evacuated as officials moved to conduct building safety checks and provide temporary shelters.
Emergency workers are continuing search operations for the missing person and assessing the full extent of the damage. Seismologists noted that while quakes of this magnitude are considered moderate, shallow tremors close to populated areas can still cause significant destruction, especially to older or poorly built structures.
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