BEIJING, Jan. 26 -- The office of the State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level-IV emergency response on Monday after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Tebo County in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of northwest China's Gansu Province, at 2:56 p.m.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, with its epicenter located at a latitude of 34.06 degrees north and a longitude of 103.25 degrees east.

A work team has been dispatched to the affected area to support local earthquake relief efforts.

Prompt efforts to verify the earthquake situation and damage have been urged, as have efforts to carry out full disaster assessments and make preparations for emergency rescue operations.

The national comprehensive fire and rescue force has reached the epicenter to conduct on-site inspections.

No casualties have been reported so far, and the situation is still being verified.