A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck along the border of China and Kyrgyzstan: at least three fatalities

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck along the border of China and Kyrgyzstan. The earthquake occurred at 2:09 a.m. (1809 GMT) at a depth of 22km and the epicentre was at the mountainous border region of Wushi County in the Xinjiang region of northwest China, as reported by the China Earthquake Administration. Several aftershocks followed the primary quake, with magnitudes reaching up to 4.5.

Due to its magnitude, the authorities issued warnings about the possibility of extensive damage. Furthermore, according to official sources, at least three people were killed while two sustained severe injuries, and four suffered minor injuries. The government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in an official Weibo account post, disclosed that 47 houses collapsed, 78 houses were damaged, and some agricultural structures also gave way.

The China Earthquake Networks Center reported that the earthquake struck Wushu county in Aksu prefecture shortly after 2am local time and prompted the dispatch of approximately 200 rescuers to the epicenter. The railway department in Xinjiang halted its operations, impacting 27 trains due to the earthquake. Despite the earthquake causing power lines to fall, authorities in Aksu reported a prompt restoration of electricity.

The seismic activity was felt in neighboring countries Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Local TV channels in the Indian capital, New Delhi, reported notable tremors, even though the city is situated approximately 1,400km away. The US Geological Survey had previously indicated the potential for casualties, although none were immediately reported in the mountainous, rural area where the earthquake occurred.