6 injured in SW China earthquake

KUNMING - At least six people were injured after an earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted Yongshan county of Southwest China's Yunnan province at 6:07 am on Sunday, local authorities said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 7 km, was in Wuji Township, 21 kilometers away from the county seat. The source of the quake was 7 km deep.

The quake was strongly felt in the neighboring counties of Suijiang, Daguan and Zhenxiong as well as the Zhaoyang District of Zhaotong city, which administers Yongshan, according to the provincial seismological bureau.

Three villagers in Yongshan were injured. Cracks have been seen in adobe houses and more than 10 cattle lots collapsed at Jinping village, according to the county government.

Twenty-two aftershocks had been reported as of 8 am on Sunday. Some houses were reported to have collapsed but communication in the county is unimpeded, according to the seismological bureau.

Yunnan governor Li Jiheng is leading a work team to Yongshan from Ludian, a county also in Zhaotong city where a 6.5-magnitude earthquake on Aug 3 killed more than 600 people and destroyed 80,000 homes.