Deadly Earthquake Hits Southern China
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A earthquake struck southwest China's mountainous Yunnan province, killing at least one person and injuring dozens of others.
The 6.0-magnitude struck a shallow depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, in a region that lies close to China's borders with Myanmar and Laos.
China's official Xinhua news agency said at least one person had been killed and 38 others injured, eight of them critically, with thousands of homes damaged.
Xinhua gave a higher reading of 6.6-magnitude, citing the China Earthquake Networks Centre.
"Many houses collapsed and we are investigating the casualties," a local official told the agency. "The aftershocks seem non-stopping."
Provincial officials declared a top-level emergency, with 3,200 troops dispatched in a "race to save more lives." according to Xinhua.
An additional 600 professional rescuers with sniffer dogs have been sent to the earthquake zone.
The epicentre was located in Jinggu County, 85km from Pu'er city, in a region famous for its tea plantations. The earthquake was also felt in Yunnan's provincial capital Kunming.
Officials said buildings shook for several seconds, while some towns in the area had lost power supply and telecommunications.
About 4,700 homes were damaged in the neighbouring city of Lincang, according to the news agency.
Photos on social media showed houses with cracked walls and fallen roof tiles, and crowds of people gathered outside into the night.
