Magnitude 7 Earthquake in Xinjiang Uyghur, China... "Tremors Felt as Far as Uzbekistan"

Vibrations Reach India, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan
No Reported Damage or Casualties Yet

On the 23rd (local time) at around 2 a.m., a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in the mountainous region of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, according to China Xinhua News Agency.

Xinhua reported that the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) detected a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at 2:09 a.m. Beijing time on the 23rd in Usu County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.

The epicenter announced by CENC is located at 41.26 degrees north latitude, 78.63 degrees east longitude, with a focal depth of 22 km.

Earthquake occurrence area in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China / Screenshot of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) webpage.

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, located in northwest China, is the second most populous autonomous region in China and borders Russia, India, Pakistan, Outer Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan, earning it the nickname "Crossroads of Eurasia."

Although no damage or casualties have been reported yet, the strong earthquake was felt as far as India, Kazakhstan, and even Uzbekistan, leading to predictions of widespread damage.

Last year, there were 12 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or higher in China, with 8 of them occurring in western regions such as Sichuan, Xinjiang, and Gansu. According to geological experts, western China is located at the boundary between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, where fault activity is frequent, resulting in frequent earthquakes.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 7.0 earthquake 126 km south-southeast of Kyzylsu, Kyrgyzstan, stating that "significant damage may occur, and the disaster could spread widely," according to AFP news agency.

After a strong earthquake, aftershocks with smaller Richter magnitudes often occur sporadically; in fact, three aftershocks ranging from magnitude 5.0 to 5.5 followed in the affected area.

According to major foreign media, Kazakh authorities also reported a magnitude 6.7 earthquake on the same day, and in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city near the earthquake zone, residents were reported to have evacuated in their pajamas.

Major foreign media also added that tremors were felt in Uzbekistan. Local broadcasts reported strong tremors detected even in New Delhi, the capital of India.