Magnitude 5.4 earthquake strikes Sichuan, China

An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 struck Ganzi prefecture in the Western highlands of China's Sichuan province on Thursday, according to China Earthquake Networks Centre.

The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the centre said.

Ganzi, a sparsely populated region, borders Yunnan to the south and Tibet to the west. Known for its rugged mountainous terrain, it is popular with hikers and nature seekers.

China has had 23 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or above within 200 km of the epicentre near Xinlong County, Ganzi, in the past five years, the centre said.

The magnitude of Thursday's quake was higher than any of the quakes from that five-year period, it said. 

Reuters