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Earthquake kills 2, injures over 150 in Yunnan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-11 09:10

At least two people were killed and over 150 injured when a strong earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale jolted the quake-prone Ludian County in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Tuesday.

More casualties and losses are expected, vice governor of Yunnan Province, Kong Chuizhu said.

The quake struck the area at 6:26 p.m, Beijing time.

According to the Chinese seismological monitoring network, the epicentre of the quake is located at 27.2 degrees north latitude, 103.6 degrees east longitude, some 255 km north of Kunming, capital of the province.

The epicentre was at Taoyuan Township. Nearby, Wenping Township, Yongfeng Township, Ciyuan Township and Shouwang Township were also shaken.

Among the affected areas, Wenping Township and Yongfeng Township were most seriously destroyed due to the dense population, said Huang Ling, an official with Zhaotong City.

Local hospitals in Ludian County have been overwhelmed by injured patients and some have to be treated in the courtyards.

After the natural disaster, the province, city and county governments have launched emergency programmes and organised several task forces to rescue and help the affected people.

A group of 34 seismologists have been dispatched by China Seismological Bureau from Beijing and are expected to arrive on Wednesday.

It was the third major earthquake to hit the Ludian County within a year. Two earthquakes measuring 5.1 and 5.0 on the Richter scale hit the county on November 15 and 26, 2003. Four people were killed and 120 were injured in the two previous earthquakes.

Ludian County, located in the east of Yunnan Province, is among China's poorest counties with a population of 370,000.



 
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