At least two people have lost their lives after a strong earthquake struck the Guangxi region in southwestern China early Monday, causing multiple buildings to collapse and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.
Chinese authorities confirmed that more than 7,000 people were evacuated from Liuzhou city following the magnitude 5.2 quake, which also left one person missing and injured four others.
According to state broadcaster CCTV and the Xinhua News Agency, at least 13 buildings collapsed during the incident, prompting large-scale emergency response efforts across affected communities.
Officials said the injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment and none was reported to be in critical condition.
Rescue workers and emergency response teams have since been deployed to the disaster zone as authorities intensify search and rescue operations amid concerns over possible aftershocks and additional structural damage.
Railway authorities also warned of temporary transportation disruptions while inspections were carried out on rail infrastructure in the affected areas to ensure passenger safety.
Despite the destruction caused by the earthquake, officials said essential services, including electricity, water supply, gas distribution, telecommunications and road traffic operations, were still functioning normally in most parts of the affected region.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as recovery efforts progress.
