A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Haixi prefecture in China’s northern Qinghai province on Tuesday evening. The quake occurred at around 5:06 pm local time at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, the China Earthquake Networks Centre reported.
Authorities are assessing the impact in the sparsely populated high-altitude region.
Reports say that there was at least one person reported dead and four others injured. Chinese media also reported that about eight tremors were felt within the span of 40 minutes.
The epicentre was close to several salt lakes and is the site of many mining and salt companies. A coal mine in the region was evacuated.
China's earthquake administration activated a Level III response to the earthquake and deployed emergency response efforts.
The western provinces in China, including Qinghai, Sichuan and Tibet, are prone to earthquakes due to their location along the active tectonic fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide.
The geological activity in the region has resulted in several major earthquakes over the years.
Multiple aftershocks were also recorded, including one measuring around magnitude 5 on the Ritscher scale.
Preliminary estimates show that around 8,660 people were exposed to the tremors.
The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) assigned it a score of 2 based on its Shake Map model, which indicated limited impact.
The shaking reportedly ranged from moderate to severe in parts of the region.
