The epicenter, with a depth of about 30 kilometers, was determined at 35.9 degrees north latitude and 82.5 degrees east longitude in Keriya County of the region's Hotan Prefecture.

The earthquake was followed by two aftershocks, measuring 4.8 and 3.0 on the Richter scale at 18:49 and 18:53 Beijing Time respectively.

The quakes occurred in unpopulated areas 5,000 meters above sea level and no casualties were reported, said Wang Qiong, an official with the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Earthquake Bureau.

People in the county seat of Keriya, 200 kilometers away from the epicenter, could hardly feel the quakes, while people in Aqiang township and Pulu village, both 100 kilometers away from the epicenter, felt slight tremors, Yang Shuying, a publicity official of Keriya county.