Rescue forces have rushed to the epicenter after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. on Tuesday.

Wushi County fire and rescue team promptly dispatched an advance detachment with two vehicles and 10 rescue workers to the epicenter area, and Aksu Prefecture's fire and rescue detachment mobilized 60 people.

A total of 182 vehicles, 800 people and 32 dogs, with 29,156 sets of equipment, have been put on stand-by, ready for the disaster relief mission, according to the Xinjiang regional fire and rescue department.

Relief materials including cold-proof clothing, tents, quilts, folding beds and heaters have been allocated to the affected area.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has activated a level-3 emergency response and rushed rescue teams to the area.

Over the past year, Xinjiang has suffered 293 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and above, of which 255 were of magnitude 3.0 to 3.9, 31 of magnitude 4.0 to 4.9, five of magnitude 5.0 to 5.9, one of magnitude 6.0 to 6.9, with the strongest one occurring in Wushi County on Tuesday, according to the China Earthquake Administration.