Earthquake In China: 5.2-Magnitude Quake Hits Guangxi’s Liuzhou, 2 Dead And 1 Missing

By Oneindia Staff

Updated: Monday, May 18, 2026, 8:46 [IST]

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Liuzhou City in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region at 0:21 am on May 18, 2026. Local authorities reported two deaths and one missing person by 8:14 am. Search operations, evacuations and damage checks are continuing.

By 4 am, officials confirmed 13 buildings had collapsed in the affected zones. More than 7,000 residents were moved to safer locations. Despite the shaking and structural damage, communications, electricity, water, gas networks and road transport systems continued operating normally across the city.

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A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Liuzhou, Guangxi, China, on May 18, 2026, causing 2 deaths and 1 missing person, with 13 buildings collapsed and over 7,000 residents evacuated, while essential services remained operational.

Earthquake in Liuzhou: impact across Guangxi and nearby cities

The Guangxi Earthquake Administration stated that the epicentre was in Taiyangcun town, about 16 kilometres from downtown Liuzhou. The quake originated eight kilometres below ground. Tremors were clearly felt not only in Liuzhou but also in Guigang, Wuzhou, Hechi, Nanning and other surrounding urban areas.

🇨🇳 A 5.2 earthquake hits Liuzhou, China, and multiple buildings collapsed.

Search and rescue teams are racing to find missing people right now.

Source: @AZ_Intel_ pic.twitter.com/RCkgfjeIJZ
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 17, 2026

Item	Detail
Magnitude	5.2
Time of quake	0:21 am, May 18, 2026
Depth	8 kilometres
Epicentre location	Taiyangcun town, 16 kilometres from downtown Liuzhou
Deaths	2
Missing	1
Buildings collapsed	13
People relocated	More than 7,000
Emergency response level	National Level IV earthquake emergency response
Status of key services	Communications, power, water, gas and roads remain functional

Emergency response and rescue efforts after Liuzhou earthquake in Guangxi

Local emergency departments launched their disaster response mechanism immediately after the quake. The national Level IV earthquake emergency response was activated. Rescue teams were deployed, including emergency management staff, police, firefighters and specialist technical groups sent to the worst-hit localities.

These teams are searching for missing people, helping evacuate residents and conducting safety checks. Inspections cover buildings, transport routes, bridges, mines and locations with possible geological risks. Heavy machinery is being used to clear rubble in damaged streets and communities as crews work through the day.

A special working group has been assigned to the disaster zone to direct on-site rescue tasks and organise post-quake relief. As of the latest official update at 8:14 am on May 18, 2026, two deaths have been confirmed and one person is still missing, while monitoring and rescue operations remain active.