BEIJING: A major 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck along the China-Kyrgyzstan border on Tuesday (Jan 23), the United States Geological Survey reported, warning of potentially widespread damage.
In Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek, people fled their homes to seek refuge in the street, according to an AFP reporter, after the quake caused walls to shake and furniture to shift.
Local TV channels in the Indian capital New Delhi reported strong tremors in the city, about 1,400km away.
The quake was registered just after 2.00am local time at a depth of 13km in China’s Xinjiang region, west of the city of Aksu.
Shortly after, three more earthquakes were recorded in the area, at magnitudes 5.5 and 5.1 and 5.0.
The USGS said casualties were possible, though none were immediately reported in the mountainous, rural area where the earthquake struck.