Magnitude 6.0 quake shakes China's Xinjiang

The shallow quake struck at 9.27pm around 100km east-northeast of the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar. PHOTO: US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

BEIJING (AFP) - A 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit a remote area of northwest China's Xinjiang region late Sunday (Jan 19), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The shallow quake struck at 9.27pm around 100km east-northeast of the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar.

In its initial assessment, the USGS said there was a low likelihood of casualties.

It said however that significant damage was likely, with many buildings in the region built from mud bricks or cinder block masonry.

The area near the quake's epicentre is sparsely populated mountain and desert terrain.

China is regularly hit by earthquakes, especially in its mountainous western and southwestern regions.

In February 2003 a powerful 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Xinjiang and caused significant damage.

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