The first magnitude 5.9 quake was followed around 30 minutes later by one registering 5.2, both at a depth of 10 km (six miles) and centered near Changning county, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Chinese state media said shaking was felt in major cities in the region, including in the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu and the metropolis of Chongqing.
The China Earthquake Administration said there were several aftershocks.
Pictures posted by state media on their social media accounts showed cracks in some buildings and people rushing into the streets in some cities in Sichuan.
A 6.0-magnitude #earthquake rattled Yibin City in #Sichuan, China. No casualties have been reported yet. Video shows houses are damaged and goods scattered on the floor during the earthquake pic.twitter.com/LijxGPcyjB
โ China News ไธญๅฝๆฐ้ป็ฝ (@Echinanews) June 17, 2019
State television said rescuers had reached the epicenter - a largely rural area - and had pulled some people out of rubble alive already. At least one person so far has died, the report added, without giving details.
A huge quake in Sichuan in May 2008 killed almost 70,000 people.
Comment: Update: The South China Morning Post on the 18th of June also reported that 10,000 buildings were damaged and 100,000 people affected with 134 injured.