A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck a sparsely populated area in China’s western Xinjiang region, causing injuries to six people and damaging or collapsing over 120 homes in freezing conditions. The quake, occurring in Uchturpan county, Aksu prefecture, prompted the dispatch of around 200 rescuers to the epicenter. While two individuals sustained serious injuries, four suffered minor injuries. The quake also resulted in the collapse of 47 houses, damage to 78 houses, and the collapse of some agricultural structures. The region, predominantly inhabited by Uyghurs, faces severe temperatures well below freezing, adding to the challenges for those affected.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake as a 7.0 magnitude event in the seismically active Tian Shan mountain range, with multiple aftershocks, the strongest registering at 5.3 magnitude. The area, heavily militarized and home to the Uyghur population, saw paramilitary troops deployed for rescue operations. The region had experienced its largest quake in the past century in 1978. In addition to the earthquake, a landslide in Yunnan province buried a village, resulting in eleven fatalities, with rescue efforts ongoing for other potential victims.
The impact of the earthquake extended beyond China, with tremors felt in neighboring countries Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, residents left their homes, while in Xinjiang and Kazakhstan, classes were suspended to allow for recovery from the shock. Earthquakes are not uncommon in western China, and the recent event adds to a series of seismic events and natural disasters affecting the country’s western regions, emphasizing the ongoing challenges faced by these areas in terms of disaster management and recovery efforts.
