Magnitude 6.3 earthquake kills one in China's western Qinghai province

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake jolted Haixi prefecture in China's western Qinghai province on Tuesday morning. The tremor, recorded at 09:06 GMT, occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers and was followed by seven aftershocks, the strongest reaching magnitude 4.9.

Local authorities confirmed one death and four injuries resulting from the earthquake. Personnel working in nearby coal mines were evacuated following the seismic event. The China Seismological Network reported the earthquake's details.

In response, the Qinghai Provincial Seismological Administration dispatched a ten-person emergency response team with two vehicles to the affected region. Their mission includes conducting comprehensive emergency operations and assessing the earthquake's impact.

The epicenter was located in an area approximately 500 kilometers west of Xining, the provincial capital with a population of about 2.5 million. Western China, including regions like Tibet and Xinjiang, frequently experiences seismic activity due to its proximity to the tectonic plate boundary in the Himalayas. However, low population density in these areas typically limits the extent of damage.