Earthquake with preliminary magnitude 6.5 strikes western China

XINJIANG UYGUR, China (KABC) -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 struck western China near the Tajikistan border on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The temblor, which struck at a depth of about 7.4 miles, hit China's Xinjiang Uygur region around 8:24 a.m. PT, USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Shallow earthquakes are more likely to cause damage in populated urban areas, but the area of Xinjiang is largely rural.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.