Seven people are reportedly dead at a tourist resort in China’s southwest province of Sichuan following an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the richter scale.

Chinese authorities say the earthquake measured magnitude 7.

7.0-magnitude earthquake jolts SW China's Sichuan, casualties unknown. Quake felt 300 km away from epicenter https://t.co/pIIbx2fTKSpic.twitter.com/7rmh5SuxSw — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 8, 2017

The earthquake hit a mountainous area some 200km (120 miles) northwest of the city of Guangyuan, and was measured at a depth of 9km (5.5 miles), according to the USGS.

Seven people died and 88 people were injured, 21 of them seriously according to Reuters, which cites Sichuan television.

China has activated the top level of its four-tier emergency response system, according to a statement released to Xinhua. Search and rescue responders have been deployed to the area as well as other emergency responders.

Local authorities have launched an emergency 24-hour helpline for those affected by the earthquake.

Xinhua reports that some houses collapsed in the wake of the quake, and images published by the state media site show rubble on the streets.

More than 100 aftershocks have been registered, according to the state news agency, and evacuations are underway.

The earthquake’s epicenter is in the Ngawa prefecture, which is mostly populated by ethnic Tibetans and nomadic herders, but is also a popular tourist destination, reports Reuters.

At least 5 tourists killed, over 60 others injured, 30 in serious condition after M7.0 earthquake hit #Jiuzhaigou in SW China's Sichuan pic.twitter.com/ruKRsTdJYW — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) August 8, 2017

610 fire officers and soldiers, 8 sniffer dogs dispatched to the scene after M7.0 #earthquake hits Jiuzhaigou county, SW China's Sichuan pic.twitter.com/SArDCD3FTi — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) August 8, 2017

Video taken by tourist visiting the Jiuzhaigou Valley when the M7.0 earthquake hit the area on Tue. 38799 tourists visited Jiuzhaigou on Tue pic.twitter.com/Kx05Agxroa — People's Daily,China (@PDChina) August 8, 2017

On Tuesday more than 38,000 people visited Jiuzhai Valley, a national park located in Jiuzhaigou County, inside the Sichuan Province, according to the Xinhua news agency.