The quake was initially detected as a 5.7 magnitude earthquake at 20:33:37.4 UTC in the Sichuan-Chong Qing border region before being upgraded to 6.0, and then being confirmed as a 5.4 magnitude quake.
The quake struck 75 miles from Chongqing a city of nearly 7.5 million people and from a depth of 31 miles.
Chinese state media has indicated that at least three individuals were killed as a result of the quake, with dozens of other left with injuries. Approximately 35 houses had collapsed after the earthquake struck the region, according to the Global Times, which also reported that a local train station was shuttered after the quake..
However, the area where the quake was directly detected is a sparsely populated area in Lu County along the Jiuqu River.
The Times reports that earthquake relief headquarters of Sichuan activated a level II response, which happens to be the second-highest level in a four tier system. Rescue efforts are ongoing in the area.
One witness, 31 miles from the epicenter, was woken by "a lengthy and quite violent shake." Another witness, 128 miles from the epicenter, "felt mild shaking."
Earthquakes can produce aftershocks that can occur months after an initial shock.
In 2008 Sichuan experienced an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that caused the largest number of geohazards ever recorded. The depth of and magnitude of this earthquake present a serious risk for those near the epicenter.