A powerful earthquake of 5.5 magnitudes hit eastern China on Sunday, resulting in the injury of at least 20 people. As of now, no deaths have been reported. The magnitude 5.5 quake occurred near the city of Dezhou, about 300 kilometres south of Beijing, the Chinese capital, at 2:33 a.m., according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 5.4. According to the local media reports, the quake caused 74 houses to collapse and 20 people were injured.
TV broadcasters showed Dezhou residents who ran outdoors after the quake sitting on sidewalks in the predawn darkness. Video on social media showed bricks that had fallen from cracked walls. The official China News Service said that train lines were being inspected for possible damage. CCTV said gas service was shut off in some areas due to damage to pipes.
Dezhou and the surrounding area administered by the city have about 5.6 million people, according to the city government website. The quake was centred about 10 kilometres below the surface, according to the CENC.
“The closer to the surface the earthquake is, the stronger you are going to feel it,” said Abreu Paris, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center.
