1st LD-Writethru: China activates emergency response after quake strikes southwest China's Sichuan

BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The China Earthquake Administration has initiated a Level-III emergency response on Monday after an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted Gaoxian County, Yibin City, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

No casualties have been reported so far, and local authorities are assessing the impact of the earthquake, said an official from Gaoxian County.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the earthquake occurred at 0:12 a.m. Monday (Beijing Time). The epicenter was monitored at 28.50 degrees north latitude and 104.69 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 6 km.

Residents in Gaoxian County and neighboring Gongxian County reported strong tremors, with furniture visibly displaced indoors.

Tremors were also felt in Yibin, and Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response. Enditem