LOC10:06
07:06 GMT
TOKYO, July 3 (KUNA) -- At least six people were dead and about 50 others injured in a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck northwest China's Muslim-dominant Xinjiang region Friday, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
The quake rocked Pishan county of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 9:07 a.m. (0107 GMT) at a depth of about 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The jolt also demolished or damaged at least 3,000 homes and disrupted communications, the report said.
Shortly after the quake, the area was hit by smaller tremors measuring between 3.0 and 4.6 magnitude, the center said. Located in southernmost Xinjiang region, Pishan county is about 1,800 km from the regional capital of Urumqi and covers 39,700 square km.
With a population of 258,000, the county is mainly inhabited by people of Uygur ethnicity. (end)
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