Five tourists were killed and 63 injured when a powerful earthquake rocked the mountain regions near Jiuzhaigo National Park in China, on August 8, 2017, around 9:20 p.m. ET. Thirty people are reportedly in critical condition.

According to an emergency official, the town of Zhangza reported the casualties from the powerful quake.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 6.5M earthquake hit an area boarded by the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu with a depth of 5.5 miles. However, The China Earthquake Networks Center measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.0, with a depth of 12 miles.

Some people panicked and ran into the streets. At this time, it does not appear that many buildings were damaged, however, communications are down and reports are minimal. Train services have been suspended in the area.

According to the Sichan government, “The earthquake was strongly felt in the county seat.” Approximately 20 minutes after the quake, a 3.3M aftershock was reported with a depth of 5.5 miles. Aftershocks can be expected to occur for up to a month after an earthquake of this magnitude.

Although the quake caused serious injuries and deaths, it did not compare to China’s deadliest temblor in this century. A 7.9M earthquake rocked the Sichuan province in May 2008, killing close to 90,000 people.

Written by Brielle R. Buford
Edited by Jeanette Smith

Sources:

WCSH: Official: 5 killed, dozens hurt after earthquake in China

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Jacob Mee’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License