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At least 3 people dead after two massive earthquakes strike China

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Yunnan province in southwestern China late on Friday, killing three people and injured 27, state television reported on Saturday.

The quake hit at a depth of 8 kilometres (5 miles) and was followed by aftershocks, CCTV reported, citing data from China Earthquake Networks Center.

CCTV quoted authorities as saying the collapse of some roads along with landslides had cut some transportation lines, but electricity, telephones and internet were working.

Medical workers treat a woman after an earthquake in Yangbi Yi Autonomous County in southwestern China's Yunnan Province
At least three people are dead following two earthquakes in southwest China. Source: Hu Chao/Xinhua via AP

In a tweet, state media Global Times said an emergency was declared and rescue operations were launched in Dali, a city of 134,000 people in Yunnan province about 24 km from the epicentre.

"Dali announced a level-two emergency response and started rescue operation after the earthquake hit the city with several aftershocks," the tweet said.

Relief efforts were underway, with the provincial authorities sending emergency rations and tents to the affected areas.

A second 7.3-magnitude quake hit early Saturday the southern part of Qinghai province in central China, about 1,000 kilometres north of the first quake.

At least three people were killed and 27 injured in a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Yangbi County, Dali Prefecture following an earthquake on Friday night. Source: Sipa USA/EPA
At least three people were killed and 27 injured in a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Yangbi County, Dali Prefecture following an earthquake on Friday night. Source: Sipa USA/EPA

There were no reports of casualties or damage in the sparsely populated area.

U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Jonathan Tytell said the two quakes were not related.

Last year, a magnitude 5 earthquake in Yunnan killed four people and injured 23.

China’s worst earthquake in recent years struck the mountainous western portion of Sichuan province to the north of Yunnan in 2008, killing nearly 90,000 people.

With Associated Press and Reuters.

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