China quake destroys 10,000 homes

South-western China is prone to earthquakes

An earthquake in south-western China has destroyed 10,000 homes, killed one person and injured more than 300 people, state media have reported.

The US Geological Survey said the 5.7 magnitude quake struck a remote, mountainous area of Yunnan province.

The quake on Thursday damaged about 30,000 homes and was followed by eight aftershocks, Xinhua news agency said.

The agency said authorities had sent thousands of tents, quilts and other aid materials to the site of the quake.

The epicentre was in Yao'an County, 100km (60 miles) north-east of the town of Dali.

Thirty people in Yao'an were seriously injured and were being treated in hospital there, Xinhua said.

Hundreds of police have also been deployed to provide assistance, the agency said.

Yunnan is next to Sichuan province, where a devastating earthquake in May last year flattened several towns and cities, killing more than 80,000 people.

BBC NEWS REPORT.