In the early hours of Sunday, a shallow 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck eastern China, causing widespread damage and injuring at least 21 people, according to reports from state media. The earthquake, the strongest to hit the province in over a decade, hit 26 kilometres (16 miles) south of Dezhou city in Shandong province at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the earthquake at 2:33 am (1833 GMT Saturday). The tremors were felt as far away as Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai, nearly 800 kilometres (500 miles) from the epicentre, demonstrating the quake’s significant impact.

Videos shared on social media captured the intense shaking of light fixtures, trembling ground, and people evacuating their buildings. Residents were left in shock as they experienced the sudden jolts and witnessed the destruction caused by the powerful quake.

The PAGER system of the USGS issued a red alert, indicating the possibility of extensive damage and potential casualties based on historical earthquake data. Shandong authorities reported 21 injuries and the “collapse” of 126 houses and other buildings. The earthquake was followed by 52 aftershocks, adding to the apprehension and concern in the region.

An AFP team observed cracked walls and scattered bricks near the epicentre in Shandong’s rural and sparsely populated Pingyuan county. Fortunately, the damage seemed relatively minor, but locals were actively assisting in the cleanup efforts. A group of elderly women was spotted rebuilding a low brick wall outside an overgrown yard.

Deng Hongqiang, a resident from the area, shared his experience of being jolted awake by the tremors, emphasising that his old house would have to be demolished and rebuilt due to the damage.

China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has initiated a level-four emergency response and dispatched a team to Shandong province for rescue operations. Footage from CCTV showed rescue personnel in red uniforms marching past first aid tents set up on a school athletics field surrounded by seemingly undamaged buildings.

While China experiences earthquakes frequently, the eastern part of the country, where the majority of the population and large cities are located, is relatively less affected by such seismic activity. An official from the Shandong Seismological Bureau reassured the public that the possibility of a larger earthquake was “very small.”