Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Xinjiang, China
A remote area in Western Xinjiang, China was struck by a massive magnitude 7.1 earthquake leading to the death of at least three people, and causing considerable damage in frigid weather conditions.
Demographics Contribute to Low Death Toll
The sparse population of the earthquake-prone region played a role in the low death numbers reported, officials stated. The devastation manifested around 2 am in Uchturpan county, Aksu Prefecture, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center’s reports.
Rescue crews were quickly dispatched to the site, with about a thousand rescuers available by noon. By the evening, state authorities reported that three individuals had died, and five more injured (two seriously) in Uchturpan county, also known as Wushi in Mandarin.
Emergency Aid Deployed
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with crews scanning the debris for survivors. Important survival gear such as warm clothing and shelter, to assist those who had been displaced from their homes by the quake, had either arrived or were en route.
The site of the Quake
The head of the Xinjiang Earthquake Administration, Zhang Yongjiu, addressed a news conference, saying that the quake’s epicenter was in a mountainous region about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level.
Impact on the Local Population
It was noted that the areas affected by the quake, primarily Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnic group primarily practicing Islam has been targeted by state-imposed assimilation and mass detention campaigns. Military aid was immediately dispatched by the state to the region to assist in clearing the rubble and setting up shelter for those affected by the quake.
Destruction and Displacement
The government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region reported extensive structural damage. Out of an estimated 120 damaged buildings, around 47 had collapsed completely. Most of the destructed houses were in rural areas and were primarily residential constructions. While government-constructed public housing remained intact.
Restoration Efforts
Efforts to restore essential services were accelerated. Fallen power lines were rapidly fixed, and electricity was restored by the local government. The local train services were also resumed following safety checks confirming no damage to the rails.
Historic Seismic Activity
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the area had previously experienced a 7.1 magnitude quake in 1978, and the epicenter was roughly 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Tuesday’s epicenter. Multiple aftershocks were recorded, the strongest of which was 5.3 magnitude.
Responses in Neighboring Regions
Shockwaves from the earthquake could be felt hundreds of kilometers away, raising alarm in neighboring regions. In both Xinjiang and Kazakhstan, regular activities were disrupted to allow children and adults to recover from the shock.
Previous Quakes
China’s western regions are prone to seismic activity. A significant 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Gansu Province in December led to 151 deaths, marking the deadliest quake in China in 9 years. In 2008, a devastating earthquake in Sichuan province resulted in the death of nearly 90,000 people.
