5.2 magnitude earthquake strikes China’s Xinjiang region:No immediate reports of damage or injuries

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Kuqa City in Aksu Prefecture, in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was recorded at 12:17 am local time, with its epicentre located 79 km northeast of Kuqa City. The China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) also reported the earthquake, measuring its magnitude at 5.0. The epicentre was located at 42.22 degrees north latitude and 83.64 degrees east longitude, while the quake originated at a depth of 20 km. What are earthquakes? Why do they occur? An earthquake is the sudden shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by the release of energy from within the Earth. This energy release happens due to movements along fault lines, which are fractures in the Earth’s crust. The Earth’s outer shell, called the lithosphere, is divided into large pieces known as tectonic plates that float on the semi-fluid mantle. These plates constantly move, and when they collide, slide past, or pull away from each other, stress builds up. When this stress exceeds the strength of rocks, it is released as an earthquake. The energy from an earthquake travels in the form of seismic waves, which spread out from the epicentre and cause the ground to shake. The science behind earthquakes The surface of our Earth is mainly made up of 7 large and several small tectonic plates. These plates continuously float and sometimes collide with each other. Sometimes the edges of the plates bend due to collision, and when more pressure is applied, these plates start breaking. In such a situation, the energy released from below finds a way out, and after this disturbance, an earthquake occurs. ​