Main image via BBC + Insider Paper
Living in Malaysia, and especially in the cities, we’re all accustomed to seeing tall skyscrapers everywhere.
But what happens if you see one of these skyscrapers start to sway and shake?
That’s exactly what happened in China and hundreds were seen fleeing the location before anything bad could happen.
via GIPHY
Recently, one of China’s tallest skyscrapers was evacuated and sealed off after it reportedly started to shake on its foundation.
The SEG Plaza in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, was seen to suddenly begin tilting backwards and forwards early on the afternoon of 18th May, which sent passers-by panicking and fleeing the scene.
The 71-storey tower that houses a shopping market, offices and two-observation decks, was immediately evacuated.
Shenzhen’s emergency management bureau released a statement to confirm that no earthquake had been detected in the region, adding that it was working into investigating the cause of the building’s shaking.
“After checking and analysing the data of various earthquake monitoring stations across the city, there was no earthquake in Shenzen today,” the bureau shared. “The cause of the shaking is being verified by various departments.”
Footage of the bulding shaking and shoppers running in panic made its way across social media. One user who posted shared a video from a nearby building shared that “SEG has been completely evacuated.”
Located in the heart of Shenzhen, the SEG Plaza will remain closed while investigations are ongoing.
As per Global Times, officials were quoted saying that there were not “safety abnormalities” detected in the 71-storey tower and surrounding area.
The Shenzhen housing and construction bureau also confirmed that there were no “ground cracks” and that the building’s main structure remained in “normal condition”.
Lu Jianxin, a senior engineer from China State Construction Engineering Corporation speculated that the shaking could have been caused by “resonance” – vibrations occurring in buildings.
Standing at 355 meters tall, the SEG Plaza is the 21st tallest building in China which is located in Huaqiangbei, one of Shenzhen’s busiest retail areas that’s often known as the world’s largest electronics market.
Image via BBC
We don’t know what we’d do if a skyscraper near us started to shake and sway!
Have you seen a building shake before? What was your first reaction? Let us know!
Info via UNILAD