Tragedy struck northwestern China near the Kyrgyzstan border on Tuesday as a devastating earthquake claimed three lives and left five individuals injured, according to state media reports.
The seismic event, recorded just after 2:00 am local time at a depth of 13 kilometers in China’s Xinjiang region, occurred approximately 140 kilometers west of Aksu city.
Beijing’s Xinhua news agency initially indicated that six people in Akqi County had suffered injuries, with two classified as “serious.” However, subsequent updates from the agency confirmed the heartbreaking news of three fatalities and five injuries.
In the aftermath of the quake, Akqi County witnessed the collapse of 47 buildings, while an additional 78 structures sustained varying degrees of damage, as detailed by the local government through social media channels.
Xinhua reported specifics from the epicenter area in rural Wushi County, noting the collapse of two residential houses and livestock sheds, accompanied by a temporary electricity outage.
In response to the disaster, the health ministry in neighboring Kazakhstan revealed that 44 individuals, afflicted with “various” injuries, sought medical help in Almaty, the largest city in the country.
