Sichuan 5.3-magnitude quake injures one, causes damage

Rescuers prepare to head for the earthquake-hit Gongxian County of Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Jan. 3, 2019. A 5.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Gongxian County early Thursday. (Xinhua)

CHENGDU, Jan. 3 -- One person was slightly injured as of 11 a.m. after an earthquake jolted Gongxian County, Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 8:48 a.m. Thursday, according to local emergency officials.

The 5.3-magnitude quake, striking at a depth of 15 km, damaged the houses of 175 families in Gongxian, causing a direct economic loss of 620,000 yuan (about 90,338 U.S. dollars).

The Sichuan Earthquake Administration has activated an emergency response and dispatched a working team to assist the local government's disaster relief efforts.

Major roads in the county were not affected, and telecommunications and power supply in the quake-affected region have remained undisturbed.

Experts with the Sichuan Earthquake Administration warned of possible earthquakes between magnitudes of 4 and 5 in the region in the near future.