An earthquake measuring 5.1 degrees on the Richter scale jolted a north China county, about 120 kilometers south of Beijing, at 11:56 AM (Beijing Time) Tuesday, according to the State Seismological Bureau.

No casualties are reported so far, according to the bureau. The quake was clearly felt in Beijing and Tianjin.

According to the Beijing Municipal Seismological Bureau, judging from the current situation, the earthquake caused no damages to Beijing.

The epicenter of the earthquake is located at 38.9 degrees north latitude and 116.3 east longitude in Wen'an county, Hebei Province, about 120 kilometers south of Beijing, according to the bureau.

Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu, immediately after the earthquake, instructed the seismological departments to closely monitor and analyze seismological situation to ensure the safety of the people and property, particularly around Beijing.

Seimological experts of Hebei Province have rushed to the quake-hit areas to investigate the situation and help deal with the aftermath of the quake.

This month marks the 30th anniversary of an earthquake measuring 7.8 degrees on the Richter Scale that struct Tangshan city, also in Hebei province, about 200 kilometers east of Beijing, on July 28, 1976. The earthquake left 240,000 people dead, 160,000 severely injured and more than 4,000 children orphaned.

According to the general office of the Wenxian County Committee of the Communist Party of China, as 12:40 Tuesday noon, six of the county's 12 townships have reported the earthquake. No causalities and loss of properties were reported.

A source with the office said possibility of casualties and loss of properties caused by the quake could not be ruled out.

The earthquake shook high-rise buildings in Beijing. Many people having lunch and working at offices felt shaking chairs. Some of them even ran out of the building to shun possible damages that might be caused by the earthquake.

Contrary to people sitting in the office, people walked on the street did not feel the tremor.

The quake was also felt in Tianjin, about 70 kilometers northeast of Wen'an.

A Mr. Li was attending a meeting in a high-rise building in Tianjin, when the earthquake occurred. He said he felt his chair moving back and forth for three times as if somebody was pushing the chair underneath. Li said he also saw a cup on the windowsill shaking for a few seconds.

But there was no report of damages and casualties in the city for the time being.

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2006)