News7.1 magnitude quake rocks northwest China, leaving six injured and buildings in ruins

7.1 magnitude quake rocks northwest China, leaving six injured and buildings in ruins

Rescuers set up tents in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 23 January 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. on 23 January (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. EPA/XINHUA / ZHU JUNZHI CHINA OUT / UK AND IRELAND OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
Rescuers set up tents in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 23 January 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. on 23 January (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. EPA/XINHUA / ZHU JUNZHI CHINA OUT / UK AND IRELAND OUT / MANDATORY CREDIT EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY Dostawca: PAP/EPA.
Images source: © PAP | PAP/EPA/XINHUA / ZHU JUNZHI

8:12 AM EST, January 23, 2024

As the China Earthquake Center reported, the tremor struck Wushi County shortly after 2:00 AM. Quick to respond, around 1,000 rescue team members were dispatched to the location.

The earthquake resulted in six injuries, two of which were severe. According to state broadcaster CCTV, three of the injured individuals were rushed to a hospital roughly 16 miles away from the epicenter.

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region government announced via its official Weibo account that out of over 120 buildings damaged, 47 have collapsed completely. A child was successfully rescued from the remains of one such building.

Power disruptions were reported but swiftly resolved. Train services were temporarily halted but recommenced after safety checks at around 7:00 AM.

The tremors were felt across the Xinjiang region and even in neighboring countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Russian news agency TASS reported that residents felt the quake in Almaty and left their homes. Schools in Xinjiang and Kazakhstan suspended activities to allow children to recover from the shock.

The earthquake on Tuesday is the latest in a string of seismic occurrences and natural disasters that have plagued China's vast western regions.

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