6.4 magnitude earthquake hits northwest China – USGS

Oct 17, 2016 4:56 PM PHT

Agence France-Presse

SUMMARY

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

6.4 magnitude earthquake hits northwest China – USGS

The quake was 32 kilometers (20 miles) deep, USGS says, with its epicenter in a sparsely-populated area of Yushu prefecture. There is a 'low likelihood of casualties and damage,' it says.

BEIJING, China – A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck China’s northwestern province of Qinghai on Monday, October 17, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported, in an area frequently plagued with seismic activity.

The quake was 32 kilometers (20 miles) deep, USGS said, with its epicenter in a sparsely-populated area of Yushu prefecture. There was a “low likelihood of casualties and damage”, it said.

Yushu was the scene of a 6.9-magnitude earthquake in April 2010 that left nearly 2,700 people dead and more than 12,000 injured, according to state news reports.

In 2011 it was struck by a 5.3-magnitude quake.

The region, situated on the remote Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, is largely inhabited by ethnic Tibetans.

The China Earthquake Network Center gave the latest tremor a magnitude of 6.2 and a depth of nine kilometers, with its epicentre in Zadoi county. – Rappler.com