Earthquake of 5.2 magnitude hits southwest China:Two dead, thousands evacuate, buildings collapse

China’s Guangxi region was struck by a 5.2-magnitude earthquake on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate, as rescue operations continued in the affected area. State media reported that 13 buildings collapsed in the early hours of Monday, while one person remains missing and four others were hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities also warned of transport disruptions as railway officials inspected infrastructure, though power, communication, water, gas supply and road traffic were functioning normally.
Why do earthquakes occur? The Earth’s surface is made up of seven major and several smaller tectonic plates. These plates are constantly moving and occasionally collide with one another. When they collide, the edges of the plates can bend, and under excessive pressure, they may break or slip. This releases a large amount of energy from beneath the Earth’s surface. As this energy travels outward, it causes disturbances in the ground, which we experience as an earthquake. Deadliest earthquakes in history: 1556 China quake and 1960 Chile quake The most deadly earthquake in recorded history struck China in 1556, killing an estimated 830,000 people. In terms of intensity, the strongest earthquake occurred in Chile on May 22, 1960, registering 9.5 on the Richter scale. The quake triggered a massive tsunami that caused widespread devastation across southern Chile, the Hawaiian Islands, Japan, Philippines, eastern New Zealand, and southeast Australia. The tsunami claimed 1,655 lives and injured around 3,000 people, leaving a lasting impact across multiple countries. The science behind earthquakes The surface of our Earth is mainly made up of 7 large and several small tectonic plates. These plates continuously float and sometimes collide with each other. Sometimes the edges of the plates bend due to collision, and when more pressure is applied, these plates start breaking. In such a situation, the energy released from below finds a way out, and after this disturbance, an earthquake occurs.