China: Magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in Qinghai Province at around 12:40 Feb. 3

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in northern Qinghai Province at around 12:40 Feb. 3. The epicenter was about 421 km (261 miles) west of Xining. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-light shaking likely occurred across northern and central Qinghai Province. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are possible over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.