Strong, shallow earthquake shakes southwestern China
Posted May 21, 2021 11:43 am.
Last Updated May 21, 2021 11:54 am.
BEIJING (AP) — A strong, shallow earthquake shook an area of southwestern China near Myanmar on Friday. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the U.S. Geological Survey said damage was possible.
The quake measured magnitude 6.1 and was centered 10 kilometers (six miles) below the surface about 28 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of the city of Dali, a scenic area in Yunnan province, the USGS said. Shallow quakes often cause more damage on the Earth’s surface, especially in populated areas.
The earthquake caused strong shaking around Dali, the USGS said. It said there was a low likelihood of casualties but significant economic losses were possible.
The area experiences frequent seismic activity. In 2020, a magnitude 5 earthquake in Yunnan killed four people and injured 23, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
China’s worst earthquake in recent years struck the mountainous western portion of Sichuan province to the north of Yunnan in 2008, killing nearly 90,000 people.
The Associated Press
