Powerful earthquake on Kyrgyzstan-China border, intensity 7.1 on Richter scale

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang border region on Tuesday, Chinese state media reported, with reports of several injuries and collapsed houses. The quake struck at 2:09 a.m. (1809 GMT) at a depth of 22 km (13 miles) in the mountainous border area of ​​Wuxi County in northwest China’s Xinjiang region, according to the China Earthquake Administration. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter was about 50 km (31 mi) from Wuxi, with five villages located within a 20 km (12 mi) radius around the epicenter, Xinhua News reported.

According to the China Earthquake Network Center, 40 aftershocks were recorded as of 8 a.m. (0000 GMT). Netizens on China’s Weibo social media platform reported that the earthquake was strongly felt in Urumqi, Korla, Kashgar, Ying and surrounding areas. Xinhua said the Xinjiang Railway Department immediately halted operations and 27 trains were affected by the quake. The China Earthquake Administration said it immediately activated emergency response services in coordination with the Earthquake Relief Headquarters Office and the Ministry of Emergency Management, and sent a group to guide local rescue efforts.

China’s emergency management ministry said multiple departments coordinated relief efforts, providing cotton tents, coats, quilts, mattresses, folding beds and heating stoves, Xinhua said. In the past 24 hours, some major earthquakes have occurred in Xinjiang. In nearby Kazakhstan, the emergency ministry reported the latest quake measuring 6.7. In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, residents fled their homes and gathered outside despite the cold weather, some wearing pajamas and slippers.