5.4-magnitude earthquake jolts SW China: CENC

BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring around 5.4 on the Richter scale hit Cangwu County, Wuzhou City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region at 5:18 p.m. on Sunday.

The epicenter was monitored at 24.08 degrees north latitude and 111.56 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The center initially said it was a 5.1-magnitude quake based on preliminary measurement.

The tremor, which was felt in multiple cities in Guangxi and in neighboring Guangdong Province, damaged some houses in two townships close to the epicenter, but no casualties have been reported, according to the local government.

Several trains were halted in the region to ensure safety, according to the Nanning Railway Bureau.

Pan Huaiwen, head of the CENC, said on Sunday evening that so far no casualties have been reported and that this quake is unlikely to cause huge damage as its epicenter that is not a densely populated area.

However, Pan said the China Earthquake Administration and the CENC have sent working teams to the affected areas for emergency response practices.

"There are situations where landslides and falling stones are blocking the roads near the epicenter area," Pan said.