5.1-magnitude earthquake shakes Xinjiang: CENC

BEIJING -- A 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Pishan county in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, at 9:54 am Saturday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter was monitored at 37.87 degrees north latitude and 77.96 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 7 km, the CENC said.

Prior to the quake, multiple minor jolts had occurred in parts of Kashgar and Hotan prefectures, Xinjiang, from early Saturday morning.

No casualties or property damage has been reported, according to local authorities.

The fire brigade in Kashgar has dispatched 37 vehicles and 141 firefighters to the epicenter. Yecheng County, neighboring Pishan, has also sent rescue staff to the epicenter.