5.9 magnitude earthquake rattles China

Shanghai : A shallow 5.9–magnitude earthquake shook China's remote far-western Xinjiang region on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, with pictures on social media showing food knocked from store shelves and students evacuated from schools.

The quake was 13 kilometres (eight miles) deep, USGS said, with the epicentre about 100 kilometres west of the regional capital Urumqi, state broadcaster CCTV said.

The China Earthquake Networks Centre gave the magnitude as 6.2, saying a series of aftershocks followed, with the strongest measuring 3.9.

There were no reports of casualties or major damage.