A major earthquake measuring between 6.5 and 6.9 magnitude has hit Southern Chinese province of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region. State media reported that at least one person has died in the latest tremor in the quake-prone western Chinese region. The quake was felt in the north eastern parts of Tajikistan bordering China and in Kyrgyzs regions on China's border as well.
The relatively shallow temblor struck at a depth of 12 kilometres, the United States Geological Survey said. One person died as a house collapsed in the quake in a sparsely-populated remote village, state news agency Xinhua said.
China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the quake struck around 10 pm local time on Friday. Reports of major casualties or damage have not been reported from the remote region.
Meanwhile, authorities in Pakistan said the Asian quake was felt in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Railway lines in southern Xinjiang have been temporarily closed after the tremors were felt in the Kashgar province, Global Times said.
The region hit by Friday's quake sits on a highly active seismic zone which has witnessed 83 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or over have in the past five years. The most devastating earthquake in the region in recent times was the magnitude 7.4 quake that jolted Tajikistan in December 2015.
