Earthquake ‘kills 150’ in south-west China

At least 150 people have been killed and scores more injured after a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck in south-west China, state media say.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck about 11km (7 miles) north-west of Wenping in Yunnan province at 16:30 local time (08:30 GMT).

One local official told Xinhua news agency that many houses had collapsed.

State broadcaster CCTV said the earthquake was the strongest to hit the province in 14 years.

All of the casualties reported so far are in Qiaojia County of the Zhaotong region, which appeared to be the hardest-hit.

Chen Guoyong, the head of Longtoushan township, told Xinhua that many houses had fallen and rescuers had been sent to the epicentre.

The USGS said the quake struck at a depth of about 10km.

In 1970, a magnitude 7.7 quake in Yunnan killed at least 15,000 people.

BBC