Sichuan ends highest level of emergency response for strong earthquake

After seven days, Southwest China's Sichuan Province ended its highest level of emergency response on Monday after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook the province's Luding County and killed 93 as of Sunday and will focus on reconstruction.

After several rounds of searches and rescue, the people affected by the earthquake were swiftly transferred to safe areas; infrastructure is under repair, and secondary disasters were also screened, according to a notice published by the Sichuan emergency response department on Monday.

The Sichuan government decided to end the highest level of emergency response which was issued on September 5 and shift its focus on reconstruction, as well as transition resettlement of people.

The earthquake has claimed 93 lives as of 5 pm of Monday, and 25 people are still missing, according to official statistics.

As of Monday morning, Luding recorded 2,715 aftershocks in total, media reported.

The provincial government asked local governments of affected cities to continue searching for missing people, provide life necessities for those who are affected, and monitor the secondary disasters.

Counties such as Luding, Shimian held mourning ceremonies on Monday noon, where participants spent three minutes to honor those who died during the earthquake.