'Very strong' 7.1 magnitude quake in western China kills 3 as officials cite sparse population there
Officials say a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in a remote part of China’s western Xinjiang region has killed at least three people and caused extensive damage in freezing weather
UCHTURPAN, China (AP) — A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in a remote part of China’s western Xinjiang region killed at least three people and caused extensive damage in freezing weather, officials said Tuesday while suggesting that the area's sparse population contributed to the “very strong” quake's low death toll.
The quake rocked Uchturpan county in Aksu prefecture shortly after 2 a.m., the China Earthquake Networks Center said. Rescue crews rushed to the area, with about 1,000 on hand by midday. By evening, authorities said three people had died and five were injured, two seriously, in the county that's also called Wushi in the Mandarin language.
Rescue crews combed through the rubble. Emergency survival gear — including coats and tents to help the thousands of people who fled their homes — had arrived or were on their way, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The quake's epicenter was located in a mountainous area about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) above sea level, Zhang Yongjiu, the head of Xinjiang Earthquake Administration, told a news conference.
