Moderate quake jolts China's Xinjiang province

Beijing, Feb 22: A magnitude-5 earthquake hit China's northwestern Xinjiang province today but caused no damage. The epicentre in Shawan county, in Tacheng prefecture, was monitored at a depth of 4 kms, the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) reported.

There are no reports of casualties or property damage, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted local government officials as saying.

Resident Wang Jianan said the lamp in her second floor room swung for about 20 seconds. All those in the building rushed outside.

Residents in Urumqi, 180 kilometres away from Shawan, and Korla City, which is more than 300 kilometres away, also felt the earthquake. A resident of Korla City said her kitchen table shook when the quake struck.

According to the regional seismological bureau, two townships, Xigebi and Dongwan, are near the epicentre. Rescue vehicles have been dispatched to the epicentre and authorities will follow up on the impact of the quake.

PTI