Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jolts eastern China

By Anadolu staff

A 5.5 magnitude earthquake jolted eastern China on Sunday, bringing down dozens of houses and injuring at least 21 people, state-run media reported.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), said daily South China Post, citing the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The tremor jolted Pingyuan county in the Shandong province at 2.33 a.m. Sunday (1833GMT Saturday) was also felt in several areas in northern China, including Beijing and Tianjin, and the provinces of Henan and Hebei, according to local media reports.

Pingyuan is about 345 km (214 mi) south of Beijing.

So far, a total of 21 people have been injured and 126 buildings in the earthquake zone have collapsed, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported.

Several videos posted online showed panicked residents rushing outside and seeking refuge, with chandlers and furniture shaking in homes.

The central government has dispatched a team to assist with rescue efforts, and the railway authority has suspended trains that pass through or depart from the affected region.

Local authorities have launched an emergency response to organize rescue and assess possible risks.