A 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook Sichuan Province (southwest China) on Wednesday, the Chinese Center for Seismic Networks (CENC) said, with the human toll still unknown.

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The tremor was recorded at 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. GMT), with an estimated depth of 17 kilometers and an epicenter in Lushan Township, a rural area where there are homes.

It was felt in several cities in the province, including the regional capital Chengdu, located about 100 kilometers to the east, according to comments from Internet users posted on the Weibo social network.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) rated the magnitude of the earthquake at 5.9, with an epicenter 10 km deep.

Sichuan, very mountainous and known worldwide for its panda reserves, is generally hit several times a month by earthquakes of varying intensities.

Last September, three people died in this province during a shallow earthquake and at least 10,000 people were displaced.

In May 2008, a very powerful earthquake, of magnitude 7.9, left 87,000 dead or missing, still in Sichuan.