Ongoing aftershocks from a 7.1 magnitude earthquake persisted in western China on Wednesday, as more than 12,000 displaced individuals sought refuge in tents and shelters, utilizing bonfires to combat freezing temperatures.
The earthquake, which occurred early on Tuesday in a remote part of China’s Xinjiang region, resulted in three fatalities and five injuries. The relatively sparse population and recent efforts to enhance housing durability in the epicenter’s vicinity, near the Kyrgyzstan border in Uchturpan county, contributed to the limited human casualties. However, several hundred livestock crucial to the local economy perished.
State broadcaster CCTV shared footage of evacuees consuming instant noodles in tents while relying on bonfires for warmth. Local authorities announced plans to assess the stability of houses before allowing residents to return.
The affected area, characterized by scattered towns and villages amid a barren landscape, is predominantly inhabited by Kyrgyz and Uyghurs, ethnic Turkic minorities facing state-sponsored assimilation efforts and mass detentions. The region is heavily militarized, and paramilitary troops were depicted on CCTV, engaged in clearing rubble and establishing tents for displaced individuals.
Among the casualties were two members of a Kyrgyz sheep-herding family who perished in their rest hut after spending the night on a mountain. Rescuers managed to save the third family member, the father. The township has been replacing these huts with more robust structures subsidized by the government.
The third fatality occurred in Akqi County, prompting the evacuation of 7,338 residents. In Kizilsu Kirgiz prefecture, 851 buildings sustained varying degrees of damage, with 93 structures collapsing near the epicenter.
The earthquake’s epicenter, situated at an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in a mountainous area, was reported by Zhang Yongjiu, the head of Xinjiang Earthquake Administration.
In the township of Yamansu, about 115 people sought refuge in a Communist Party meeting hall, braving sub-zero temperatures. Medical staff attended to older residents, while outside, locals gathered around wood-burning cookers, coping with the aftermath of the quake.
State broadcaster CCTV noted the occurrence of 1,104 aftershocks, including five above magnitude 5.0, as of 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, with the largest registering at magnitude 5.7. Uchturpan county is currently experiencing temperatures well below freezing, with the forecast predicting lows of minus 18 degrees Celsius (just below zero Fahrenheit) for the week.
The Ultimate Guide to Physical Activity for Seniors
With a population of approximately 233,000 in 2022, Uchturpan county has been significantly impacted by the earthquake, and tremors were felt hundreds of kilometers away in neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.