5.3-magnitude quake jolts SW China

Authorities in southwest China said they are checking the losses after a 5.3-magnitude quake jolted a town early Saturday, waking up many sleeping residents.

The tremor hit Yongshan County, Yunnan Province, at 6:40 a.m. Saturday with its epicenter 13 km deep, said the China Earthquake Networks Center.

"We strongly felt the quake, but it did not last long," said a local resident in the county seat.

Some residents said they were waken up by the tremor as they were asleep when it struck. Some ran out of their houses after the quake and returned home a few minutes later.

No articles in their houses fell to the floor after the quake, they added.

Authorities are checking the losses caused by the tremor, a Yongshan publicity official told Xinhua.