A strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale has hit Wuqia County, also known as Ulugqia County, in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China. The quake struck at 11.52 p.m. on Sunday.
The epicenter was 110 kilometers away from the county town of Wuqia, and 10 kilometers from the Chinese border with Kyrgyzstan. The source of the earthquake was 33 kilometers underground. Residents in Kashi, 180 kilometers away, also felt the quake.

The area is where the southern side of the Tianshan Mountains meet the Kunlun Mountains, and earthquakes are frequent in this region. There have been no reports of casualties so far.