(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-22 22:13

KUNMING  -- A 5.0 magnitude quake that jolted southwest China's Yunnan Province Friday evening has affected nearly 16,000 residents and damaged houses, roads and power lines, local government said on Saturday.

Seven houses collapsed and 3,600 others were damaged in the quake, which hit Tongbiguan Town, about 40 kilometers from the Yingjiang County seat at 8:36 p.m. Friday.

But there has been no report of casualties.

The quake also destroyed dozens of kilometers of rural roads and caused power cuts for 12 villager teams in the town.

The area has been hit by aftershocks, the biggest of 4.0 magnitude, said the Yunnan Provincial Seismological Bureau.

More than 200 soldiers from the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture have reached the affected area to help evacuate people from dangerous buildings and carry out relief work.

A 7.3-magnitude tremor hit Yutian County, Hotan Prefecture, in the remote northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at 6:33 a.m. Friday. There have been reports of house collapses but no casualties.