Authorities in southern China’s Shenzhen tech hub evacuated a 70-story skyscraper after the building began to sway and said they are investigating the causes.
Thousands of people in and around the SEG Plaza fled when the building began to sway Tuesday.
The Shenzhen government said no further movement was detected since Tuesday and that the main structure and its surroundings appeared stable.
“Based on an analysis, a seismic event has been ruled out as a possible cause,” the government said on its blog.
THE SKYSCRAPER HAS 70 FLOORS
The building’s steel infrastructure, its windows and other architectural elements appeared intact and there were no signs of cracks in the surrounding streets, he said.
The first 10 floors of the building are an electronics market and the rest is mostly occupied by offices.
China’s population growth is approaching zero, adding to the stresses in an aging society with a shrinking workforce as fewer couples have children.
The 20-year-old building stands over 1,000 feet tall and has a helipad on the roof.
The US consulate in the neighboring city of Guangzhou issued a notice calling on its citizens to avoid the square and the surrounding area due to “inadequate information about the risks” and recommended avoiding the area until authorities say that all is well.