LANZHOU, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- A 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Tebo County in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Gansu Province, at 2:56 p.m. on Monday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
No casualties were reported in the affected areas after the first round of comprehensive inspections, while cracks have been observed in some buildings, local authorities said.
Tebo County has arranged the urgent relocation of people from hazardous areas and is working to assess the full extent of the damage. As of press time, more than 20,000 residents in the county have been evacuated to safety.
Preliminary investigations indicate that tremors were felt near the epicenter in the county, and that power supply, communication and water services in the affected area remain normal.
According to multiple residents of the county, the quake was felt strongly, prompting people to rush to public squares for safety. No significant structural damage to buildings has been observed.
After the earthquake, public security authorities dispatched 350 officers to conduct search and rescue operations. The Gansu provincial fire and rescue corps has mobilized a total of 340 personnel, 65 vehicles and seven search dogs to affected areas.
Xinhua reporters who arrived in Tebo on Monday evening observed that buildings along the roads remained generally intact, with rescue vehicles passing frequently. Local officials told Xinhua that temporary settlement sites have been established, and emergency supplies, including quilts, stoves and coal, were arriving.
The office of the State Council earthquake relief headquarters, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the China Earthquake Administration activated Level IV emergency responses to the earthquake on Monday.
The epicenter was monitored at 34.06 degrees north latitude and 103.25 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, a report issued by the CENC revealed. ■
