A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China on Monday (Sep 5), according to the US Geological Survey, shaking buildings in the megacity of Chengdu where a COVID-19 lockdown has confined millions of residents to their homes.

The quake hit around 43km southeast of the city of Kangding in Sichuan province at a depth of 10km, the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Tremors were felt in the nearby provincial capital Chengdu and the megacity of Chongqing, residents told AFP.

“I felt it quite strongly,” a Chengdu resident surnamed Chen said. “Some of my neighbours on the ground floor said they felt it very clearly.”

A resident of Chongqing said the quake was “pretty noticeable” and shook the lights and furniture in his fifth-floor apartment.

“I was pretty scared,” he told AFP, “but it didn’t seem to faze people here”.

More than 500 rescue personnel have been dispatched to the epicentre, state broadcaster CGTN reported, adding that “several aftershocks have been recorded in nearby areas”.