An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted Xigaze Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region at 4:04 AM today, according to seismological observatories.

No reports of casualties or the extent of the damage have yet been received, according to local government sources.

The quake occurred in the southwest of the region between Zhongba County and the Ngari Prefecture.

The epicenter was 30.5 degrees latitude north and 83.7 degrees longitude east, about 110 kilometers from the border with Nepal and 670 kilometers from Lhasa, the regional capital, according to the China Seismological Bureau.

Local government officials said the regional seismological bureau will dispatch a team to the quake-hit area.

An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale also occurred in the area on July 12, 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2005)