China initiates emergency response to Xinjiang quake

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The China Earthquake Administration has activated level-III emergency response procedures following a 5.5-magnitude earthquake in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Thursday.

The administration will send a work team to help with relief work and departments concerned are required to be on high alert, monitor aftershocks and evaluate damages caused by the quake.

Eight people have been confirmed dead and 11 others were injured in the earthquake jolted Taxkorgan County in Xinjiang at 5:58 a.m. Thursday.

Witnesses said frequent tremors have been felt after the quake.

Taxkorgan, some 1,250 kilometers from Urumqi, capital of the region, borders Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.