Earthquakes rock Sichuan province

The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched 1,280 rescuers to a county in Sichuan province after it was struck by a magnitude-6 earthquake shortly after one with a magnitude-5.8.

The first jolt hit Barkam, the capital of Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, around midnight. The second one came only less than 1.5 hours later, according to the ministry.

The earthquakes triggered a level-IV emergency response from the ministry. Minister Huang Ming, who is investigating a recent deadly building collapse accident in Hunan provincial capital Changsha, made instructions immediately after the jolts. 

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level-I representing the most severe response.

Aside from dispatching rescuers, Huang also demanded all-out efforts to ensure the basic living needs of people in affected areas are met. Measures should also be rolled out to prevent secondary disasters, he said.

The work group from the ministry has left for the earthquake-stricken area in the small hours on Friday, the ministry said.