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A MAG 7.8 earthquake occurred in Chengdu today at 2:28pm or UTC 06:28:00. lyrrael, an American volunteer living in Chengdu, China, teaching at Southwest University reports the earthquake at twitter.

Around two hours ago, an earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter scale struck in southwestern China's Sichuan province, centered in Wenchuan county, and with tremors felt as far away as Beijing and Hong Kong.

The earthquake was reportedly felt in Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, parts of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Gansu, Henan, Ningxia and Jiangsu.

See below for updates by region.

From Chinese video-sharing website Tudou, user danta1990's footage taken in the Sichuan capital Chengdu:

Danwei has already compiled a number of updates from various sources, as has Shanghaiist, with information on user-shot video from Sichuan Chinese video portal websites were quick to get up on their front pages.

This clip on 56.com comes from user Little Fish in Wenchuan, Sichuan:

And this from video sharing website Youku.com comes from user xiaoyu82528, showing the effect of the earthquake as felt as far away as Beijing:

Twitter seems to be a top source of breaking details for the moment; Many are writing of difficulties connecting to those at the center of the quake zone over telephone, but the internet seems to still be functioning. Beijing-based tech guru Kaiser Kuo writes that the government Seismological Bureau website is currently inaccessible, presumably from high levels of traffic.

Users inwalkedbud and Lyrrael have been posting updates in English, reporting what they can. River Crab Goes Ashore has been collecting live updates on Chinese microblogging service provider Fanfou.

Inwalkedbud writes from Chengdu, quite near the center of the earthquake: “Doesn't seem to be much damage to buildings, but people are shaken up. Electricity/water/gas seems to be working still.”

Other areas have not been as fortunate; Chinese Twitter user Raine, based in Hubei, writes of possible destruction there:

同事刚电话回家，湖北的荆州、沙市的房子倒了一片，有灾情。

Also courtesy of Danwei is a note to keep following Summize.com, one Twitter search engine which supports Chinese characters, for steady updates; updates found via Summize and other places will be added here as they are found. Photos can be seen on Flickr via searches for ‘earthquake' in English and Chinese and on Yupoo.com.

Anyone with more information regarding other areas around China that have been affected is invited to gives us a heads-up in the comments.

Microblog updates by region:
Sichuan
http://fanfou.com/statuses/g2QgIe8OWzM

四川大学要求同学离开宿舍 通知4点余震开始

https://twitter.com/shizhao/statuses/809213970

据说四川地区CDMA，小灵通可以打通

https://twitter.com/niubi/statuses/809205236

chengdu airport closed. flights heading there beijing redirectede to chongqing

https://twitter.com/guiyinzhang/statuses/809162622
5:30 pm: https://twitter.com/Aether/statuses/809193571

成都互联网通讯有能连上的了。

http://fanfou.com/statuses/l6XlCAxBJCI

绵阳花盆啥的都碎了，饮水机震倒说塌了好多房子，人都到河堤上去了

http://fanfou.com/statuses/aOdJ1I6y1YU

四川阿坝州理县县城1人死亡8人重伤 汶川县发生7.8级地震后，截止12日17时10分，阿坝州政府应急办了解到的情况是：汶川、理县、茂县交通、通讯全面中断，黑水、小金、金川、马尔康、松潘、九寨沟等县均有房屋倒塌、道路中断、山体滑坡、人员伤亡(其中茂县林业电台报告伤亡人员较多，

Beijing
https://twitter.com/flypig/statuses/809127403

中国南北网络断了吗？怎么啥都上不去了？

https://twitter.com/imagethief/statuses/809121832
https://twitter.com/kaiserkuo/statuses/809123623
https://twitter.com/kaiserkuo/statuses/809124220
https://twitter.com/Tangos/statuses/809124276
https://twitter.com/niubi/statuses/809132301
https://twitter.com/fuzheado/statuses/809131321
photo https://twitter.com/flypig/statuses/809135452

Shanghai
https://twitter.com/nocas/statuses/809139803
https://twitter.com/casperodj/statuses/809196553
https://twitter.com/leoshcn/statuses/809195725

Shaanxi
https://twitter.com/yesky12/statuses/809191510
https://twitter.com/QienKuen/statuses/809199223

只能和西安那边发短信，电话打不进去。。

Henan
http://fanfou.com/statuses/O8h2ttRuQJ8

郑州国家电网公司的大楼都疏散到空地了

Jiangxi
http://fanfou.com/statuses/7bjUhAwYzH8

Anhui
https://twitter.com/seekDench/statuses/809183753

Zhejiang
https://twitter.com/Fenng/statuses/809127914

杭州网络正常。公司大部分同事都跑到外面去了。

http://fanfou.com/statuses/k0jIs0Mkmz8

浙江嘉兴、上海间发生5.7级地震 暂无人员伤亡

http://fanfou.com/statuses/nOwacdhRpdA
宁波世贸中心大楼倾斜3度！！！！！！！！！！！！
The World Trade Center in Ningbo has tilted 3 degrees!!!!!!!!

Chongqing
https://twitter.com/Tangos/statuses/809188431
https://twitter.com/shizhao/statuses/809211439

重庆2小学倒塌，4学生死亡

Changsha
http://twitter.com/dadi007/statuses/809209238

Guangxi
http://fanfou.com/statuses/8lgMEGMOzUE

Hubei
Wuchang: http://twitter.com/lenvow/statuses/809197185

湖北多地有地震震感 武昌出现手机信号盲区

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Beijing based Singapore blogger Alvin writes about the quake in Sichuan being felt in Beijing this afternoon. “Robina called me frantically that the building was swaying. she grabbed Sally and ran out. Sally is still panting from the excitement. all the people from our apartment building came downstairs. nearby office buildings were evacuated. “

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