At least 46 dead following earthquake in China

BEIJING — A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook a mountainous area of Southern China Monday, killing at least 46 people.

According to The New York Times, the earthquake struck in the province of Sichuan, triggering landslides and shaking buildings over 100 miles away in Chengdu. China’s state media reported that more than 30 had been injured.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the shallow quake struck the region shortly after noon on Monday.

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The province sits on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, where tectonic plates meet and is regularly hit by earthquakes. China’s deadliest earthquake in recent years was a 7.9 magnitude quake in 2008 that killed nearly 90,000 people in Sichuan, according to The Associated Press.

The death toll rose to 46 with 16 missing as the search for trapped people continued Monday night, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Over 21 million residents are also currently under COVID-19 lockdown in the region. The earthquake and lockdown follow a heat wave and drought that has led to water shortages and power cuts due to the region’s reliance on hydroelectric power.

No damage was reported at any dams or hydroelectric power stations near the earthquake, but some local power grids were affected, according to Reuters.

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