CHINA: In the early hours of Sunday, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck parts of eastern China, resulting in injuries to at least 21 individuals and the collapse of 126 buildings.
The earthquake originated near Dezhou, which is situated approximately 300 km (185 miles) to the south of Beijing, and occurred at 2:33 am (1833 GMT).
A second earthquake, measuring 3.0 in magnitude and with a depth of 9 kilometers, was reported by the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) at around 3:02 a.m.
In response to the earthquake, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management implemented a level four response, as indicated by China Central Television (CCTV).
The China Railway Group took action by suspending train operations on major routes such as the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and the Beijing-Kowloon Railway. The city of Pingyuan, located in the central part of Dezhou, has a population of around 420,000.
Local authorities promptly enacted an emergency plan, setting up seven rescue stations and deploying 16 fire engines. Additionally, a team of 93 firefighters was dispatched to the earthquake’s epicenter to engage in rescue and relief efforts.
Describing the intensity of the tremor, a netizen from Hebei province, near Shandong, shared on Weibo, “The tremor was so strong… during the earthquake, my head was shaking on the pillow; I thought I was having a nightmare.”
Reports indicate that the earthquake’s impact was felt in cities as far as Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai, which are approximately 800 kilometers away from the epicenter.
Despite the powerful earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, the water and communications infrastructure remained functional.
While earthquakes are relatively common in China, occurrences in the eastern region, where a significant portion of the population resides, are unusual. Additionally, the earthquake’s shallow depth adds to the rarity of the event.
