A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck China's southwestern province of Sichuan on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake hit 25 kilometres (15 miles) northwest of the city of Kangding in the mountainous west of the province at 11:19 pm (1519 GMT) at a depth of 11 kilometres, the USGS reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The China Earth Networks Centre measured the quake at 5.8 and at a depth of 16 kilometres.

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck the same area on Saturday, killing five and injuring dozens.

In May 2008, a 7.9 magnitude quake rocked Sichuan, killing more than 80,000 people and flattening swathes of the province.