LHASA - The 5.0-magnitude earthquake that hit a remote county in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region early Thursday did not cause any casualties or toppled any homes as yet, a local official said.

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"After the quake, we sent a team of rescuers and medical workers to four villagers closest the epicenter, and found no severe damage was done," said Zhao Jun, head of Nyima County in Naqu Prefecture.

An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter Scale hit the Nyima County at 2:31 am Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The epicenter was monitored at 30.8 degrees north latitude and 86.5 degrees east longitude with a depth of about 160 kilometers, the center said.

"The epicenter was located at Tangra Yumco Lake. The tremor was felt in four villages nearby," said Zhao.

The quake, however, was not felt in the county seat, he said.

The county government sent tents, food and cotton-padded coats to the quake-hit villagers Thursday morning, as the low temperature has dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius.