One killed in SW China quake, large-scale evacuation underway

KUNMING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed in the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that shook southwest China's Yunnan Province Thursday, local authorities said Friday.

Soldiers pitch tents for the quake-afflicted people. More than 300 people were injured and more than 10,000 houses collapsed in a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province Thursday evening, local authorities said.(Xinhua Photo)

The victim, a 50-year-old woman, was buried in debris of collapsed houses and died later in hospital due to serious blood loss, according to the publicity department of the government of Yao'an County, the epicenter.

The disaster-relief headquarters have put the number of people injured in the quake at 325, 24 of whom are in serious condition.

More than 1,000 soldiers and police officers, including some 300 dispatched by the neighboring Sichuan Province, were helping local residents to move to safe places.

The headquarters said more than 400,000 people in the quake zone need to be evacuated or relocated.

Officials were distributing tents, medicine and food to local residents.