Just after midnight on May 20, an earthquake struck Conghua district in Guangzhou. The quake, which was measured at a magnitude of 1.4, was followed by a 1.1 magnitude tremor at 4.04am, according to the Guangzhou Earthquake Bureau. The two earthquakes occurred at depths of around 5 and 4 kilometers, respectively.
Since the quake was at a low magnitude, many residents in the area were surprised to learn that an earthquake had even occurred, with Weibo users sharing stories of their uneventful night. “What the… I wasn’t even asleep around midnight and I didn’t feel a thing,” posted one user, surprised by the news of the tremors.
Others commented on how they were woken up during the night, only it wasn’t from an earthquake but rather the tumultuous thunder and lightning. “I woke up around 4am to the sound of thunder and lightning and heavy rain, but I didn’t feel any earthquake,” posted another Weibo user.
Last month, two earthquakes, measured at 2.1 and 1.0 magnitudes, hit Guangzhou’s Zengcheng district, the area directly southeast of Conghua. No significant damage was caused as a result of the earthquakes.
In November 2018, an earthquake measured at a magnitude of 6.2 struck the Taiwan Strait and was felt by people in Taiwan, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong.
Not sure what to do when an earthquake strikes? Check out this earthquake survival guide on Live Science for a quick refresher.
READ MORE: This Day in History: The Deadly 2008 Earthquake Strikes Sichuan
[Cover image via @朋真1234/Weibo]
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