6.5-Magnitude Earthquake in China's Xinjiang

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit China's northwestern Xinjiang province, has claimed 6 lives and left 48 people injured today.

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit China's northwestern Xinjiang province, has claimed 6 lives and left 48 people injured today. 3000 buildings and traditional houses in the area living collapsed.

Several earthquakes have occurred. Villagers reported to social networking websites that the earthquake was very strong.

"If many people are gathered in one place during an earthquake, it can lead to a serious disaster, but in this case, there were relatively few people so it isn't so serious," China Earthquake Networks Center researcher Sun Shihong told state broadcaster China Central Television.

A similar earthquake occurred in August 2014 in Yunnan (near the border with Laos) and left behind 600 dead.