A magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit Liuzhou city in Guangxi, China, early on May 18 at 12:21 a.m. local time. The shallow quake, at a depth of about 8 to 10 kilometers, caused between 13 and 14 buildings to collapse and resulted in at least two confirmed deaths, a 63-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The earthquake also left one person missing and four others hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Over 7,000 residents in Liuzhou were evacuated due to safety concerns following the quake [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Search and rescue teams continued operations after the earthquake, focusing on collapsed structures and missing persons [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Authorities warned of possible transportation disruptions and conducted inspections of transport infrastructure, especially railways, though communication, power, water, and gas supplies reportedly remained operational in the affected area according to multiple sources. One report indicated brief disruptions to power and transport services [1, 2, 3, 6].
The tremor was also felt in Hong Kong, where over 10 reports of the quake were recorded [3].
There were conflicting reports about a second earthquake of similar magnitude (5.2) striking the Liunan District of Liuzhou later on May 18 at 9:44 p.m. local time. Some sources confirm this second event, while others do not mention it [7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Emergency response measures were activated at regional and national levels following the initial quake [7]. Rescue efforts and infrastructure assessments continue as officials work to ensure safety and stability in the region.
