Follow @NBCNewsWorld (https://twitter.com/NBCNewsWorld)A magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattled the Sichuan region in western China on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The quake was centered 69 miles northwest of the town of Leshan, the USGS said. It occurred at a depth of only 10.2 miles below the surface.
The quake happened at 8:02 a.m. local time. It was unclear whether there were any casualties, but the USGS said damage is likely. Millions of residents live in the Sichuan basin.
According to China's Xinhua News Agency, the earthquake was felt in the provincial capital, Chengdu, 70 miles away.
The epicenter is south of the area where a 7.9-magnitude quake struck in 2008.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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