A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck the remote and mountainous Sichuan province of China Tuesday night, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Up to 100 people are feared dead and thousands more injured in the quake, the Chinese government said.
At least four people have been confirmed dead and 30 injured so far.
The epicenter of the quake was in Ngawa prefecture, sparsely populated mostly by Tibetans, many of whom are nomadic herders, near a well known national park.
Tremors from the quake were felt as far away as the provincial capital, Chengdu, 284 kilometers from the epicenter.
Earthquakes are fairly common in China, especially the mountainous southwestern province.