The temblor struck at 5:18 PM (local time) in Cangwu County, Wuzhou City of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The epicentre was monitored at a depth of 10 kilomeres, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
The center initially put the scale at 5.1 based on preliminary measurement, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.