Forty percent of residential houses in and around the epicenter suffered damages but no reported casualties so far after an earthquake measuring 5.9 degrees on the Richter scale hit the central-eastern part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region early Wednesday, said sources with local seismological authority.

Officials with the Inner Mongolia Seismological Bureau said the earthquake jolted the area at 9:53 a.m. and 13 aftershocks were reported as of 4:00 p.m. with the biggest one of 3.5 on the Richter scale.

According to the China Seismological Bureau, the epicenter, located at 45.4 degrees north latitude and 118.2 degrees east longitude, is in the juncture area between Dong Ujimqin Banner and Xi Ujimqin Banner and is 230 kilometers from the Xilin Hot city.

The epicenter is on a vast pasture area with thin population and houses there are normally brick-and-wood sheds, according to the local seismological officials who had arrived at the affected area after the quake.

Hundreds of school buildings at the epicenter and surrounding areas were seriously damaged.

Experts held that within 24 hours another quake over 5.5 degrees is not likely in the area, but quakes of 5.0 degrees or below are possible.

The autonomous regional civil affairs department has dispatched officials and staff to the affected area.

Emergency rescue officials and experts from the China Seismological Bureau and the seismological bureau of Inner Mongolia set off at noon Wednesday to the quake-jolted areas to investigate into the situation and deal with the aftermath of the quake. They are expected to arrive tonight.

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2004)