BEIJING — A level-III national emergency response has been activated after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Southwest China's Sichuan province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on June 1.

The earthquake rattled Lushan county of Ya'an city at 5:00 pm on June 1(Beijing Time). The epicenter, with a depth of 17 km, was monitored at 30.37 degrees north latitude and 102.94 degrees east longitude, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

A work team has been dispatched to guide and assist the local emergency rescue efforts, the ministry said.

Local firefighters have reached the epicenter, while quake rescue teams of Sichuan and other neighboring regions are on standby for relief operations, the ministry added.