Strong earthquake hits southwest China; 2 dead, over 7,000 evacuated

A strong 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck southwest China’s Guangxi region on Monday, killing 2 people, damaging buildings, disrupting transport, and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, according to Chinese authorities.The quake struck near Liuzhou city in Guangxi at a shallow depth, intensifying tremors across nearby areas, the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said.Residents rushed out of homes, offices and shopping centres as buildings shook for several seconds. Videos shared on Chinese social media showed people gathering in open spaces while emergency sirens sounded in several areas.Authorities said several buildings developed cracks, while some older structures partially collapsed.Local authorities said over 7,000 residents were evacuated from vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure, according to Reuters. Temporary shelters were set up while engineers inspected damaged buildings.Two deaths were confirmed, one person remained missing, and four others were hospitalised, authorities said.Emergency teams, firefighters and medical workers were deployed to carry out rescue and search operations. Schools, hospitals and government buildings were also inspected for structural damage.The earthquake briefly disrupted electricity and transport services in parts of Guangxi.Road inspection teams checked highways and bridges for possible damage, while the power supply in some areas was temporarily interrupted.Authorities warned residents about possible aftershocks and advised people to stay away from damaged buildings until safety checks are completed.