A series of earthquakes ripped through several agricultural rural areas in southern China on Friday.
Latest reports suggest that at least 48 people were killed after a quake measuring 5.7 struck Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. More than 150 are said to be injured. All the victims are from Zhaotong district in Yiliang county.
According to officials, over 100,000 people have been evacuated from the quake-hit areas. The worst-affected city is said to be Zhaotong located in the northeast corner of Yunnan province, where over 20,000 homes are said to have collapsed or were at least significantly damaged.
The Xinhua News Agency reported that "the 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the border area of Yiliang county of Yunnan and Weining county of Guizhou at 11:19 a.m. and the depth of its epicenter was about 14 km at 27.5 degrees north latitude and 104.0 degrees east longitude."
It also said that Yiliang county had as many as 16 aftershocks measuring up to 5.6 on the Richter scale.
More details awaited.
