A kid is successfully rescued by soldiers from the Chinese Armed Police Force after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Taxkorgan County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at 5:58 a.m. Thursday, local time. (81.cn)

XINJIANG, May 12 (ChinaMil) -- The Chinese Armed Police Force (APF) in Xinjiang launched emergency rescue operation and dispatched troops to the quake-stricken area after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Taxkorgan County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 5:58 a.m. on Thursday, local time.

35 officers and soldiers from an APF emergency platoon in Tashikuergan county arrived at a village in the center of the earthquake at 7:05 am on Thursday.

They formed seven groups to conduct rescue work and saved three people trapped in houses damaged by the earthquake.

At 7:10 am, Major General Guan Yanmi, commander of the Xinjiang Contingent of the Chinese Armed Police Force, arrived at the command post to direct the disaster relief operation through the video conferencing system.

At 9:25 am, 50 APF engineers rushed to the disaster area with equipment. The rescue operations are being carried out in an orderly manner now.

Kids are successfully rescued by the Chinese Armed Police Force soldiers after a 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Taxkorgan County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at 5:58 a.m. Thursday, local time. (81.cn)

Chinese Armed Police Force soldiers search through the rubble for victims in quake-hit Taxkorgan County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 11, 2017. A 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Taxkorgan County at 5:58 a.m. Thursday, local time. (81,cn)