At 6:23 a.m. on October 17, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Aheqi County in Xinjiang, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. As of 8:00 a.m. the same day, no casualties had been reported.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the epicenter was located 22 kilometers from the urban area of Aheqi County and 59 kilometers from Ush County. Villages within 5 kilometers of the epicenter include Kuoyutuo, while townships within 20 kilometers include Aheqi Town.

Residents in multiple locations felt the tremors, including Aheqi County, Ush County, Artux City, Aksu City, and Kashgar City. A resident of Aheqi County stated, "I was still asleep when the tremor woke me up." According to the China Earthquake Networks Center's preliminary report, 388 earthquakes measuring 3.0 or higher have occurred within 200 kilometers of the epicenter over the past five years. The largest of these was a 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Ush County on January 23, 2024, just 19 kilometers from the epicenter of this latest quake.

Following the earthquake, the Aheqi County Fire and Rescue Brigade promptly dispatched two rescue vehicles and 12 personnel to the epicenter for assessment. As of now, through verification by earthquake rapid reporters and township liaisons, as well as feedback from seismic authorities, no reports of casualties or collapsed buildings have been received.