6.2-magnitute quake jolts China

A powerful 6.2-magnitute earthquake on Thursday jolted China’s Hutubi County in northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, shaking buildings and forcing evacuation of students from schools. The quake struck at 1:15 PM (local time) in Changji city, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC). 

However, there were no report of casualties. The epicentre of the quake, located at 43.83 degrees north latitude and 86.35 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 6 km, was strongly felt in Urumqi, the regional capital, and other places such as Ili and Shihezi in northern Xinjiang. 

Hutubi is about 100 km away from Urumqi. “The building was shaking and the lamp in my home looked like falling down. The hooks of the window curtain rang and the balcony door opened because of the shake,” Fire fighters and quake officials are on their way to the county.