Earthquake leaves three dead and 60 injured in China’s Sichuan Province

By Jesse Young, CNN

An earthquake in southwest China’s Sichuan Province killed at least three people and injured 60 others on Thursday, according to state media.

Local authorities estimated the quake as 6.0, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the quake as 5.4 on an 8-point scale.

The earthquake occurred in the early hours of this morning, with its epicenter about 52 kilometers (32.3 miles) southwest of Yongchuan District in Chongqing, with an initial depth of 10 kilometers, according to the US Geological Survey.

Pictures show damaged buildings with smashed windows, and the floor outside covered in debris, including fallen trees and bricks from collapsed walls.

At least 1,221 homes have collapsed and more than 3,000 have been severely damaged, according to the government tabloid Global Times.

“I woke up to the earthquake and saw the chandelier in my room swaying heavily and the writing desk shaking,” one resident, surnamed Tang, told the Global Times. “It has been a long time since an earthquake of this magnitude occurred.”

Chinese authorities launched rescue efforts in the morning, as the provincial government activated a level two response, the second highest in China’s four-level earthquake emergency response system, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Luzhou, a city of about five million people, was among the worst-affected areas. Thousands of soldiers and emergency workers were sent in the rescue effort, along with rescue equipment, medical supplies, temporary surgical vehicles and heavy machinery. Tents were set up for the evacuees in a nearby village.

Experts say a more serious earthquake is unlikely, although aftershocks are possible, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sichuan lies along one of China’s many seismic belts, making it vulnerable to earthquakes. A local employee in Luzhou told the Global Times that although residents are used to earthquakes, they are usually less powerful – and Thursday’s quake was much stronger than average.

A number of major earthquakes have occurred along one tectonic boundary in particular – the Longminshan Fault – which runs through the Sichuan Mountains. This is where the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, also known as the Wenchuan earthquake, struck.

The devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake – near the top of the scale – killed nearly 90,000 people, and caused tremors in cities more than 900 miles away. Even 10 years later, not all of the damage from the earthquake site has been repaired, and survivors told CNN they still had deep scars.

The 2008 earthquake also highlighted the poor building standards and building regulations, which were prevalent at the time as major cities were built with astonishing speed during China’s economic and urban boom.

Although the authorities at the time severely cracked down on activists and critics who demanded accountability – outraging public opinion – the government eventually tightened regulations and strengthened enforcement.

Since 2008, the state has invested heavily in disaster preparedness, retrofitting buildings in earthquake-prone areas and implementing regular earthquake drills for emergency workers and schoolchildren. Beijing has also directed tens of millions of dollars to develop seismic and satellite science, according to Reuters.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc. , a WarnerMedia company. All rights reserved.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos