No casualties reported after 5.0-magnitude quake jolts Xinjiang

URUMQI -- No casualties have been reported so far after a 5.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region Wednesday, local authorities said.

The earthquake hit Kuqa city in Aksu prefecture of Xinjiang at 7:42 am Wednesday (Beijing Time). The epicenter was monitored at 41.23 degrees north latitude and 83.74 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

While there are no townships or villages within 10 km from the epicenter, tremors were felt in several nearby cities. Rescuers and emergency response personnel have been sent to areas potentially affected by the quake.