8 killed after 5.5-magnitude quake hits China's Xinjiang region

May 11, 2017 | 16:02
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SHANGHAI: Eight people were killed when an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 struck in China's northwest Xinjiang region on Thursday (May 11), the official Xinhua news agency said, with photographs online also showing damaged buildings.
The old city of Kashgar, in north-west China's Xinjiang region AFP/Marianne Barriaux

The China Earthquake Administration (CEA) said the quake occurred in the morning in the remote Taxkorgan County area of Kashgar Prefecture at a depth of 8km. Xinhua said in a microblog post 11 people were also injured.

The quake injured more than 20 others, the region's earthquake administration said, adding that 180 houses collapsed in the lightly populated area.

Most houses in the area were made of wood and mudbricks or rock, it said.

Xinjiang is frequently jolted by earthquakes, most of which cause little damage.

Xinhua also reported that some building walls had been cracked or had collapsed and that casualty figures were still being compiled.

AFP

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