Latest News: 56 people have been confirmed dead in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to Xinhua News Agency

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county of Ya'an city in Southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:02 am Saturday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

 

The epicenter, with a depth of 13 km, was monitored at 30.3 degrees north latitude and 103.0 degrees east longitude.

The quake was strongly felt by residents in Sichuan's capital city of Chengdu, which is about 140 kilometers from Ya'an.

 

A resident in Chengdu, who was on the 13th floor of a building when the quake occurred, said he felt the building shaking for about 20 seconds and he saw tiles fall off nearby buildings.

 

People in Leshan city of Sichuan Province, and neighboring Chongqing Municipality also felt the earthquake.

 

The quake was also felt in provinces of Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi and Yunnan.

 

Multiple aftershocks jolted the area after the 7.0 magnitude quake took place, the largest aftershock in magnitude being the 5.1-magnitude one which shook the bordering area of Lushan and Baoxing counties of Sichuan at 8:07 a.m..

 

Till the time of release, several aftershocks rated above 4.0-magnitude hit the area, including a M-4.8 quake at 8:06 am, a M-4.6 one at 9:02 am a M-4.1 one at 8:31 am, and a M-4.1 on at 8:37.