5.6-magnitude quake hits SW China

A rescuer (R) inspects a damaged house after an earthquake jolted Yingjiang county of Southwest China's Yunnan province at 4:49 am Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Yingjiang County of southwest China's Yunnan Province at 4:49 a.m. Saturday (Beijing Time), slightly injuring five people, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) and local authorities.

The epicenter was measured at 25.0 degrees north and 97.8 degrees east, at a depth of 12 km, the CENC reported.

The five injured people have been sent to hospital, according to local publicity officials.

Many residents rushed out of home when the quake happened. Tiles fell from some roofs and a power blackout occurred in the epicenter, said Tao Jiqing, Party chief of the county.

The Yunan Provincial Civil Affairs Department has sent 500 tents and 1,000 folding beds to the quake-hit areas. Relief efforts are underway.

Yingjiang borders Myanmar. It has a population of 300,000.