Quakes shake up Xinjiang region

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-2-18  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THREE minor earthquakes, registering 3.8, 4.0 and 4.4 on the Richter scale, struck parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region yesterday, the Xinjiang Seismological Network said.

So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage in the sparsely populated, mountainous region.

The first quake, measuring a magnitude of 4.4, struck at 7:13am and was centered in Akto County in west Xin°?jiang's Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, which borders Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the seismological network said.

At 8:26am, a 3.8-magnitude quake shook Emin County in Xinjiang's Tacheng Prefecture. Then at 12:42pm, a 4.0-magnitude quake jolted neighboring Wuqia County, also in Ki°?zilsu. The quake was felt in neighboring Kaxgar City, and a spokesman for the city said local authorities were investigating whether the quake caused damage.