BEIJING, March 31 -- An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter Scale hit Nyima County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, at 1:10 a.m. (Beijing Time) Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The epicenter was monitored at 31.4 degrees north latitude and 86.5 degrees east longitude with a depth of 10 kilometers, the center said.