Earthquake in southwest China kills two with over 7,000 evacuated

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake in China's southwest region of Guangxi has killed two people and forced more than 7,000 to evacuate in the city of Liuzhou early on Monday as search and rescue operations continue and authorities warn of transport disruptions.

There were two confirmed deaths with one still missing, and four people were sent to the hospital, although none of them had life-threatening injuries, CCTV and state news agency Xinhua said.

Thirteen buildings collapsed in the early hours of Monday, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Transportation disruptions were also flagged by railway authorities as they inspected the integrity of rail line infrastructure.

State media also reported that communication and power lines, water and gas supply, and traffic in the affected area were operating normally.