China: Three people killed, five others injured in Xinjiang earthquake

Beijing [China], January 23 : Three people were killed and five others injured after an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 jolted Wushi county in the Aksu Prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region at around 2 am (local time) on Tuesday, China-based Global Times reported.
A total of 47 houses have collapsed and houses across the county have suffered varying degrees of damage. All students in the earthquake-hit region were safely evacuated, with no casualties reported among them.
As many as 12,426 people in the earthquake-affected area have been relocated so far, Global Times reported, citing a Xinjiang official at a Tuesday conference. The official stated that the rescue work is still being carried out, according to Global Times report.
As of 2019, Wushi county has a population of more than 230,000 people. The main quake was followed by a series of aftershocks as strong as 5.3 magnitude, according to the CENC. It noted that 70 aftershocks were recorded as of 4 pm (local time) on Tuesday.
The earthquake caused strong tremors in the surrounding areas. Aksu, Kashi, Korla, Karamay, and other places experienced strong tremors. There have been reports of tremors in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.
People in several residential regions in Wushi said their building swayed for about one minute and they quickly evacuated the building during the sub-zero temperature. Some residents have said that even the chandeliers in their houses fell down.
Speaking to Global Times, a resident in Aksu said, "It is the first time I've felt such a strong tremor in my life. I shouted 'earthquake' and I ran downstairs. I didn't even have time to get my clothes and my shoes on... my legs were trembling when I rushed downstairs and people in my building were all running down at that time,"a resident in Aksu, more than 100 kilometers from the epicenter."
A resident surnamed Liu from Keping county in Aksu said that many people in the county after the earthquake ran downstairs to take shelter. Some people have even travelled in their cars to open areas to avoid aftershocks. More than 2,000 people in Wushi county took shelter in a sports stadium after the earthquake.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Xinjiang Military Command have sent 630 soldiers, while the Xinjiang People's Armed Police Force has deployed 678 troops to help with rescue efforts.
Speaking to Global Times, Luo Yansheng from a rescue team working in Wushi county said that the top priority of their rescue work is to move people in impacted regions and erect shelters. He called the cold weather the biggest difficult that they are facing.
Luo Yansheng said, "The temperature dropped to -18 C and it is important to have materials and food." Furthermore, Luo said the damage caused by the earthquake is limited as the epicenter is in an uninhabited area.
In order to ensure the safety and resettlement of affected people, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management, along with other government bodies, allocated 1,000 cotton tents, 5,000 winter clothing, 5,000 cotton quilts, 5,000 folding beds, and 1,000 heaters and other objects to Wushi county, to ensure the safety and resettlement of affected people.
The National Health Commission has got in touch with the local health commission to arrange for medical support. As of Tuesday midday, all trains have restarted operation, Global Times reported. According to the authority, the earthquake has not affected civil aviation and postal operations.
The China Earthquake Networks Center asked experts to carry out research and analysis on this earthquake. According to experts, the earthquake occurred in the Tianshan Seismic Zone. A preliminary analysis of the focal mechanism hinted that this earthquake is a thrust-type rupture.