More than 15,000 people have been affected by an earthquake, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, in northwest China, the Sina news portal said on Monday.

The earthquake hit China`s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region midday Sunday. As a result, 3,200 houses were destroyed and damage is estimated at around $8 million, the news portal said.

No one is reported to have died.

China`s most powerful earthquake in thirty years occurred on May 12, 2008, in the southwest province of Sichuan, killing at least 70,000 people and displacing 10 million.
sections: Accidents