7.1 magnitude quake rocks northwest China, leaving six injured and buildings in ruins
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.
8:12 AM EST, January 23, 2024
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.