Beijing, June 30 (IANS) At least 24 people were injured and hundreds of cattle died in collapsed sheds as a 6.6-magnitude quake jolted China’s Xinjiang Uygur region Saturday and toppled several houses, authorities said.
Strong tremors were felt widely in the region, including the regional capital of Urumqi, which shook many residents out of their beds and caused temporary blackouts at 5.07 a.m., Xinhua reported.
According to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC), the temblor’s epicentre was found in a mountainous area along the border of Hejing and Xinyuan counties.
A large number of residential houses were toppled or damaged in Xinyuan county, and hundreds of cattle were killed after their sheds collapsed, said Ili Kazak prefecture government, which administers Xinyuan.
The quake also triggered landslides and caused cave-ins on several national and regional highways in Xinjiang, bringing traffic to a halt.
The CENC has launched an emergency response following the quake and local authorities have sent work teams and organised rescue efforts in the affected areas.
