Quake forces evacuation of 3,800

Extensive damage was reported in northwest China's Xinjiang-Uighur region after an earthquake rocked the region, state media said. The quake, which Chinese seismologists measured at 6-magnitude, struck Tuesday morning, destroying more than 800 homes, and forcing the evacuation of more than 3,800 people, the official Xinhua news agency reported. No casualties were reported. The quake was centered in Yining and Gongliu counties in the Kazak region, but was felt in several nearby counties, the report said. Direct economic losses were estimated at about $10.5 million. Schools remained closed as two rescue teams were dispatched for recovery work. The regional bureau of civil affairs said relief supplies were being sent to the area, including tents, beddings and shoes. The quake also triggered a landslide on a national highway in the region but normal traffic had resumed Wednesday. The quake was one of two that struck China Tuesday morning. The other, a 5.4-magnitude quake, jolted Sichuan and Gansu provinces in western China, but no casualties were reported. There were no immediate reports of damage in the two provinces.