A 4.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Yongning County in northwest China's Yinchuan on Thursday around 10:00 (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
The earthquake's epicenter was located at 38.4 degrees north latitude and 106.22 degrees east longitude, with a focal depth of approximately 10 kilometers.
A rescue team has been dispatched to aid local relief operations in the affected areas, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
No casualties have been reported.
At 16:43 on Thursday, another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 jolted Jinfeng District in Yinchuan, the center said.
The epicenter of the second quake was located at 38.41 degrees north latitude and 106.26 degrees east longitude, according to the center. In response to the aftershock, many residents were evacuated to public squares, playgrounds, and other open areas, local sources reported.
The initial earthquake caused significant damage, collapsing the outer walls of multiple old residential buildings and injuring passersby. Several cultural relics were also damaged, according to reports.
The second earthquake resulted in further destruction, causing components of multiple old buildings to collapse.
Since 2024, Yinchuan has experienced at least seven earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2.2 to 3.6.
4.8-magnitude earthquake hits northwest China's Ningxia
Several nations and international organizations have voiced strong condemnation against recent U.S. military actions targeting Venezuela, emphasizing the importance of international law and diplomatic solutions.
The United States launched military operations in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife on Jan 3. The Venezuelan government said the strikes hit civilian and military sites in at least four states, including Caracas, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. The U.S. attack has left 100 dead, Venezuela's interior ministry said Wednesday.
"The international law, the rules, the rules and regulations of the international system should be really respected. We at the African Union disapprove completely the kidnapping of a sitting president. We issued and released a communique, asking the global powers, influential countries to respect the rule of law, to respect the international law, and also to respect the immunity of sitting presidents everywhere," said African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf.
According to Russian media reports, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov, after meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Friday, noted that the U.S. actions have resulted in the deaths of approximately one hundred Venezuelan civilians and military personnel.
He stressed that these tragic consequences must be severely condemned and thoroughly investigated. The ambassador added that the United States' neo-colonial, command-and-control approach clearly does not contribute to the normalization of Venezuelan oil sales, and such actions violate international law.
South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on Friday reiterated his country's commitment to a rules-based international order grounded in international law and multilateralism, with the United Nations (UN) at its center.
Delivering a keynote address on the 2026 Foreign Policy Outlook in Rustenburg, North West Province, Lamola said the doctrine of "might is right" must not be allowed to prevail, and that the rule of law remains fundamental to global stability, legitimacy, and governance.
He said that the unilateral military actions by the U.S. against Venezuela risk reducing the UN Charter to ashes. In the current situation, it is of unprecedented importance and urgency for countries to adhere to resolving disputes through dialogue, consultation, and diplomatic means.
Multiple nations, organizations condemn U.S. military actions against Venezuela
