5.1-magnitude quake jolts China; tremors felt in Beijing

A 5.1-magnitude earthquake on Sunday jolted China's north Hebei province's Tangshan city, according to officials. Strong tremors were felt in the nearby regions including Beijing, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The epicentre of the quake, which struck Guye district at 6:38 AM local time, was monitored at 39.78 degrees north latitude and 118.44 degrees east longitude, the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said.

The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, the CENC said. A second tremor with 2.2-magnitude hit the district again at 7:02 AM. No casualties have been reported, the report said. Firefighters have been dispatched to the district.

The railway department immediately launched the emergency plan to suspend passenger trains passing through the area, and is organising a comprehensive inspection of railway equipment and facilities. A 7.8-magnitude quake had jolted Tangshan in 1976, killing more than 240,000 people.