A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit China's Hotan Province before 9 am on Friday and injured more than 20 people, People's Daily reported.

In Xinjiang region, at least three people were killed in the disaster, according to South China Morning Post.

Like Us on Facebook

Several aftershocks with a magnitude measuring between 3 and 4.6 followed just after the quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The epicenter was located in Pishan county, just 1,800 km from Urumqi, the region's capital. The exact extent of the damages caused by the shallow earthquake is still unclear.

Li Hua, a farmer in Pishan, told State News Agency Xinhua that he was on the fourth floor of his house when the quake struck. "I'm feeling dizzy," he said.

Earthquake regularly hits China, particularly in its southwestern provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan.

In May 2008, a 7.9 Richter scale tremor shook Sichuan and killed more than 80,000 people. Experts say that was the worst earthquake in the country for more than three decades.

Last August, a 6.1 magnitude quake hit Yunan and killed more than 600 people. Also, last year, in October,  more than 100,000 people lost their homes, and hundreds of people suffered serious injuries after a 6.0 magnitude quake rocked the province.

China's neighbor Nepal was recently devastated by a  7.8 magnitude tremor in April, which claimed the lives of more than 8,800 people. Nepali Prime Minister Sushil Koirala stated the death toll from the quake even may reach 10.000. The northern part of India was also affected by the earthquake in Nepal.

TagsEarthquake in China, Hotan Province Earthquake