Intense 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Takes Four Lives in Sichuan, China

On Wednesday, the Chinese Earthquake Bureau reported that a 6.1 magnitude earthquake shook parts of Sichuan province, followed by a 4.5 magnitude earthquake minutes later. Among the casualties are at least four people were killed and 14 others were injured during the earthquake, according to Chinese state media.

Southwestern China has been hit by an earthquake, DW reports. According to officials, the tremor triggered a landslide that destroyed a factory and homes.

The epicenter of the quake was near Ya'an city, about 110 kilometers southwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital. At around 5 p.m., it struck at a depth of 17 kilometers. Tremors were felt in cities across Sichuan province at local times.

Following reports that the earthquake had triggered a landslide that damaged homes and a cement factory, city officials dispatched 4,500 rescue workers to the scene.

Local authorities stated that rescue units were going all out to rescue those who had been trapped. Local authorities hope to reduce the number of dead to the greatest extent possible.

There have been no reports of buildings collapsing yet, provincial authorities said on Wednesday. The first quake had a magnitude of 5.9 and was shallower, with a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the US Geological Survey.

The mountainous province, which is highly vulnerable to earthquakes, is well-known as the home of China's giant pandas and is a popular tourist destination.

Earthquakes in China's Sichuan Region

In January of this year, a shallow earthquake between Sichuan and neighboring Yunnan injured more than 30 people. Another, in September of last year, claimed the lives of three people.

When a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck Wenchuan county in 2008, it claimed 90,000 lives and left widespread devastation. It was China's deadliest earthquake in recent history.

In the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Deng Haiyang was buried under the rubble of a wrecked school building for 22 hours until he was rescued. Deng is currently 27 years old, and although his legs needed to be amputated, he now established himself as self-employed. He was one of the few in his class that year that was rescued.

The official tally of buildings destroyed was put at 6,898 in the 2008 earthquake. It was later found out that corruption in construction has resulted in the collapse of many buildings. The buildings were later referred to as "Okara," after the soft mass left over during the production of tofu.

By mid-2008, the official death toll had risen to 69,227, with 5194 children among them. In the last ten years, these official figures have remained unchanged. Civil activists in China, on the other hand, have expressed serious doubts about the official count and have called for an independent investigation into the disaster's aftermath.

The surroundings in some areas near the epicenter of the earthquakes still look the same as they did 10 years ago in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. The speed of construction and development with China is known for does not appear to be the case everywhere.

China received more than 76 billion yuan ($12 billion) in international donations in the aftermath of the earthquake, a new high. Residents in the affected areas, on the other hand, are said to be skeptical that enough money was spent on reconstruction.