A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the remote region of Uchturpan county in China's western Xinjiang region early Tuesday, according to reports from state media. The quake, which occurred shortly after 2 a.m. local time, resulted in downed power lines, two collapsed homes, and prompted the suspension of train services in the affected area.

Authorities quickly responded to the situation by dispatching around 200 emergency rescuers to the quake's epicenter, while the Xinjiang railway authority suspended dozens of trains in the region and sealed off affected sections. However, electricity was swiftly restored to the region, minimizing further disruption.

The earthquake, located in the Tian Shan mountain range, was described by the U.S. Geological Survey as occurring in a seismically active region. Although earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively infrequent, the region has experienced previous significant quakes, with the largest one recorded being a 7.1-magnitude in 1978, situated approximately 200 kilometers to the north of Tuesday's event.

Following the main quake, at least 14 aftershocks were reported, with two registering above a magnitude of 5. Residents felt the tremors as far away as neighboring countries Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, people were seen leaving their homes after feeling strong tremors.

In terms of the impact on the local population, Uchturpan county, where the epicenter is located, has been experiencing temperatures below freezing, with lows of up to negative 18 degrees Celsius predicted for the week. This is part of a broader pattern of frigid weather affecting northern and central China this winter, resulting in school closures and highway shutdowns due to snowstorms.

Pictures and videos shared on social media platforms depicted residents in Uchturpan wearing heavy winter jackets, huddled outside their homes. State broadcaster CCTV also provided visuals of a cracked wall with chunks fallen off.

It is worth noting that this earthquake struck a predominantly rural area populated by Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic group that has faced forced assimilation and mass detention in recent years as part of the Chinese government's campaign. However, there is no information available at this time regarding specific impacts on the affected population.

This earthquake follows a similar event in China's Gansu province in December, which resulted in the tragic loss of 151 lives. While most of China's earthquakes are concentrated in the western provinces, including Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, and now Xinjiang, the country continues to face challenges in mitigating the effects of such natural disasters.