On October 26, at 4:35 PM, a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Kuqa in the Aksu region of Xinjiang, China, according to data from the China Earthquake Networks Center. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and was strongly felt in areas such as Shaya County and Luntai County. So far, there have been no reports of casualties or damage to buildings. Communication and electricity services in Kuqa and the surrounding areas are functioning normally.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located within the boundaries of Tarlim Town, approximately 25.6 kilometers from Village 2 of Caohuhai and about 35.6 kilometers from the Tarlim Town Government. The earthquake was felt lightly in the urban area of Kuqa, which is about 113.5 kilometers away.
Within a 5-kilometer radius of the epicenter, the village of Reheman Bayi is located, while no towns can be found within 50 kilometers. However, within 100 kilometers, there are several towns, including Tarlim, Gaizikumu, Tuoyibaoledi, Hanikata, Dunkuotan, Gulebag, Shaya, Akuxitang, Gulibake, and Yakela.
Following the earthquake, local authorities promptly activated their emergency response plan. The Kuqa Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau is coordinating inspections and has dispatched two teams to the epicenter. A 20-member advance team from the Kuqa Fire Rescue Brigade is en route to the site, while other rescue teams from surrounding counties are on standby, ready to deploy.
In the aftermath, the local government convened an emergency meeting to coordinate search and rescue efforts across various towns and departments. Reports indicate that the earthquake’s epicenter is located about 93 kilometers from Luntai County, 100 kilometers from Shaya County, and 437 kilometers away from Urumqi City.
