Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 9^th offered his sympathies to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on human and property losses caused by a strong earthquake in Sichuan province one day earlier.

A number of houses were damaged in the earthquake in Sichuan province, China, on August 8^th. (Photo: Xinhua)

The China National Radio reported that as of 3 pm (local time) of August 9^th, the 7-magnitude earthquake in Jiuzhaigou county of Ngawa prefecture, the southwestern province of Sichuan, on late August 8^th had killed 19 people and injured 217 others.

The China National Committee for Disaster Reduction wrote on its website that according to initial analyses, more than 130,000 houses might have been damaged in the earthquake.

The China Earthquake Administration has launched a Level I emergency response, the highest of its four levels, according to state media.

Local authorities announced the closure of the Jiuzhaigou tourist area, which includes a national park known for its waterfalls and topographical formations, beginning Wednesday./.

VNF/VNA