7.0-magnitude quake hits Sichuan

Damage caused by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Jiuzhaigou in Southwest China's Sichuan province on August 8, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Jiuzhaigou is a national park known for spectacular waterfalls and karst formations. Each year, millions of tourists visit the park and surrounding areas.

Sangey, a worker at the Jiuzhaigou national park, told Xinhua by telephone that some houses in the area collapsed and cracked after the quake and authorities are organizing young people to help evacuate residents.

Li Changyong, head of the Jiuzhaigou county health and family planning bureau, said the quake was strongly felt in the county seat and many residents rushed outside their buildings. Li told Xinhua that he saw no buildings in the county seat collapse.

Tremors were felt in the provincial capital Chengdu and as far away as Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, according to local media reports.

Yang Qihu said she felt the lamp in her parlor shaking slightly when she was having dinner with her six-year-old son at 9:19 pm on Tuesday.

"As I had experienced the Wenchuan earthquake (in Sichuan province) in 2008, I knew another quake might have taken place somewhere," said the middle-aged bus driver in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan.