Xinjiang, Nov 17: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck Xinjiang on Monday, according to a statement from the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

The earthquake, which hit at a shallow depth of 10 km, was reported at 01:26:10 IST on November 17, 2025. The NCS provided the earthquake’s coordinates as 35.82°N latitude and 77.12°E longitude.

Shallow earthquakes, such as this one, are typically more dangerous than deeper ones. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes travel a shorter distance to the Earth’s surface, causing stronger ground shaking, which can lead to more damage to buildings and higher casualties.

China's location between the circum-Pacific seismic belt and the circum-Indian seismic belt makes it highly prone to seismic activity. The region is squeezed by the Pacific, Indian, and Philippine tectonic plates, creating multiple seismic fracture zones in the area.

Since the early 20th century, China has experienced more than 800 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. Earthquakes have impacted almost all of China’s provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, with the exceptions of Guizhou, Zhejiang, and Hong Kong.

According to the Science Museums of China, over 550,000 people have died in earthquakes since 1900, accounting for 53% of all global earthquake fatalities. Since 1949, more than 100 destructive earthquakes have occurred across the country, resulting in more than 270,000 deaths, which accounts for 54% of China’s total natural disaster death toll.

The regions affected by these earthquakes have covered an area of 300,000 square kilometers, destroying over 7 million buildings. Experts point out that earthquakes and other natural disasters continue to pose significant challenges for China, even during peaceful periods.