BEIJING -- The China Earthquake Administration has activated level-I emergency response procedures following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake Tuesday in Jiuzhaigou County in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Work teams have been sent to the stricken area to carry out emergency operations, the administration said in a statement.

China has a four-level earthquake emergency response system, with level-I being the top.

The epicenter was monitored at 33.2 degrees north, 103.82 degrees east. The quake struck at a depth of 20 km.