A moderate earthquake killed at least two people and injured 42 in Southwest China's Yunnan Province on Friday, local officials said yesterday.

The quake, measuring 5.1 degrees on the Richter scale, shook buildings in Yanjin, Daguan, Yiliang and Suijiang counties, said the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) on its website.

The epicentre of the quake was located at 28 degrees north and 104.2 degrees east in the township of Dousha, 570 kilometres from provincial capital Kunming, it said. The CEA has dispatched earthquake experts.

The quake toppled 1,541 houses and forced more than 45,000 people to relocate, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Of the injured people, 10 are in a critical condition.

"The quake was strongly felt in the county," said Cheng Lianyuan, Party secretary of Yanjin County. "Some big rocks from the mountains rolled down and destroyed many sections of the road between the township and the county."

"Quite a number of homes in Dousha Township were ruined and the streets were littered with tiles and bricks. Many residents stayed outdoors for fear of aftershocks," said Zhang Yan, another county official.

Township officials were investigating casualties and losses caused by the quake in the villages, Zhang said.

After the quake, the provincial civil affairs bureau delivered 400 tents (together with 3,000 others provided by the Ministry of Civil Affairs), 16.25 tons of rice, as well as medicines and instant noodles to Yanjin, local officials said.

A total of 5,000 officials, police and soldiers are conducting rescue and disaster-relief efforts in quake-hit areas, officials said.

This was the second earthquake in as many months to jolt Yanjin County, which is located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and has a population of 350,000.

A similar quake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale hit Yanjin and neighbouring Daguan County on July 22, killing 22 and injuring 106 people.

Source: China Daily