A 6.2-magnitude earthquake killed three people in southwest China's Sichuan province, injuring 22 others, local emergency officials said Wednesday.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was an estimated 50 kilometers (30 miles) north-northwest of Guangyuan, in close proximity to Sichuan’s  border with adjacent Gansu province.

Several hours before the quake occurred, the Olympic torch had made its way through some areas from Sichuan, while heading towards the Summer Games which get under way Friday in Beijing, the capital of People’s Republic of China, about 1,200 kilometers away.

According to China’s official press agency, the strong Tuesday quake was felt in cities of Hanzhong and Xi'an, both situated in Shaanxi province, as well as Chongqing.

The earthquake disrupted communications in Yaodu Township, CNN reported. In the same area, a bridge collapsed, the China News Service announced.

Local defence forces were attempting to immediately repair the road and rail network that had been blocked in Yangshan county.
More than 12,600 aftershocks hit the region in recent months. On May 12, a quake struck the area, killing almost 69,000 people and leaving 5 an estimated 5 million homeless. Over 18,000 others are still listed as missing. The earthquake’s epicenter was roughly 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Tuesday's epicenter.