Strong 6.6 Quake Hits Northwest China - Signifiant Damage Expected

Panic after strong and shallow M6.6 earthquake hits northwestern China – Animals and people going frenzy in videos and pictures

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck China’s remote northwestern Qinghai province early Saturday, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at about 1:45 am (1745 GMT) at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), was located about 140 kilometres north-northwest of the city of Xining, US seismologists said.

A 5.1-magnitude aftershock followed about 25 minutes later, USGS said.

The China Earthquake Networks Center put the magnitude at 6.9, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

“There is a low likelihood of casualties,” USGS said in its assessment of the quake, adding that there however was a likelihood of “significant damage”.

The US agency warned that “the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist”.

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck China’s remote northwestern Qinghai province

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck China’s remote northwestern Qinghai province early Saturday, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the quake, which struck at about 5.45pm GMT at a shallow depth of 10km, was located about 140km north-northwest of the city of Xining, US seismologists said.

A 5.1-magnitude aftershock followed about 25 minutes later, USGS said.The China Earthquake Networks Center put the magnitude at 6.9, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

“There is a low likelihood of casualties,” USGS said in its assessment of the quake, adding that there however was a likelihood of “significant damage”.

Major magnitude 6.6 earthquake - 139 km north of Xining, Qinghai, China, on Saturday, Jan 8, 2022 1:45 am (GMT +8) -