News   /   China

6.7-magnitude quake jolts China’s Xinjiang, kills one

This file photo shows people working on the side of a damaged house after an earthquake in Hotan area, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, July 3, 2015. (By Reuters)

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake has jolted a region in northwest China, killing at least one person.

The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the strong quake rocked the Akto County in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, which borders Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, on Friday night at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers.

The earthquake could be felt in the neighboring Kashgar Prefecture, which is about 169 kilometers away from the epicenter.

Firefighters and police from the Kizilsu and Kashgar prefectures were deployed to the disaster zone.

The quake reportedly left houses near the epicenter destroyed, killing the one victim.

Zhang Yong, the deputy head of the Earthquake Administration of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said casualties were low because the affected area was sparsely populated and that structures had been reinforced.

“We estimated that about 40,000 people were within the perimeter of the tremor measuring magnitude 6 or above this time. Fortunately, we have done a good job on the housing here. As far as we know, only some old houses and sheepfolds have collapsed,” Zhang said.

Authorities in Pakistan also said the tremor had been felt in the country’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. No damage was reported there, however.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku