15 dead in China quake
From CNN Producer Steven Jiang
 |
Story Tools
MAGNITUDE GUIDE
|
|
Below is an interactive guide to earthquake magnitude and severity:
|
|
BEIJING (CNN) -- A strong earthquake has shaken southwestern China, killing at least 15 people and injuring nearly 300, local officials say.
The magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit a remote area in Yunnan province, about 1,400 miles (2,254 kilometers) southwest of Beijing, before midnight on Monday, when most people were sleeping.
It destroyed more than 800 homes and damaged over 13,000 others, according to local authorities.
Forty-four people were severely injured, said an official from the disaster relief office of Dayao County, where the quake was centered.
The quake could be felt in the provincial capital of Kunming, 110 miles to the southeast.
"All telecommunications lines have been restored," the official told CNN.
"We are continuing our search and rescue mission, while transferring injured residents to hospitals."
Numerous aftershocks since Monday night are not expected to bring any significant damage, officials say.
In February 1996 a quake hit Lijiang, a popular tourist spot in Yunnan province, killing more than 300 people.
