China 7.1 magnitude earthquake leaves at least 6 injured, 47 houses collapsed
Earthquake hit the border area between Kyrgyzstan and China (Getty Images)
A big earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 hit the border area between Kyrgyzstan and China's Xinjiang region. More than 120 buildings were damaged, 47 houses collapsed and 6 people were injured, according to Reuters and AP News.
The earthquake happened in Uchturpan County (Wushi County) in Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang region. Rescue teams quickly arrived in the area, and about 1,000 people were assisting by mid-day.
The epicenter was 22 km (13 miles) deep in the mountains, and there were five villages within 20 km (12 miles) around it. There were 40 aftershocks, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The earthquake caused power lines to fall, but electricity was restored quickly, according to Aksu authorities. The Xinjiang railway department stopped trains immediately.
The tremors were felt hundreds of kilometers away. People in different areas reported feeling their buildings shake. The quake also affected Xinjiang's neighboring countries. In nearby Kazakhstan, there was a magnitude 6.7 earthquake. People in Almaty, the biggest city in Kazakhstan, left their homes and gathered outside. No damage was reported. The tremors were also felt in Uzbekistan.
Recent natural disasters in China
This earthquake is part of a series of earthquakes and natural disasters happening in China.
On January 22, a major landslide happened in southwest China's Yunnan province. It buried 18 residences, and at least 8 people died. 47 people disappeared, and more than 500 people had to evacuate.
On December 18, 2023, one of the most powerful earthquakes in recent years happened in China with a magnitude of 6.2. It struck remote regions between the Chinese provinces of Gansu and Qinghai. 149 people died, approximately 1,000 people were injured as a result of the earthquake, and over 87,000 people were displaced.
