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Three minor earthquakes hit China's NW Xinjiang region

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-17 15:51

URUMQI - Three minor earthquakes with 3.8, 4 and 4.4 on the Richter scale struck parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Tuesday, the Xinjiang Seismological Network said.

So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage in the sparsely populated, mountainous region.

The first quake, measuring a magnitude of 4.4, struck at 7:13 a.m. and was centered in Akto County in west Xinjiang's Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu, which borders Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, the seismological network said.

At 12:42 p.m., a 4-magnitude quake jolted neighboring Wuqia County, also in Kizilsu Prefecture. The quake was felt in neighboring Kaxgar City, and a spokesman for the city government said local authorities were investigating whether the quake caused damage.

In between those two quakes, at 8:26 a.m., a 3.8-magnitude quake jolted Emin County in Xinjiang's Tacheng Prefecture. The county borders Kazakhstan.

Emin County was also hit by a 4.6-magnitude quake Saturday, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.