Earthquake kills 367 people in China (see video and photos)

The magnitude-6.1 earthquake took place in a densely populated region that has a history of seismic activity

A magnitude-6.1 Richter earthquake jolted China’s southwestern Yunnan province on Sunday leading to at least 367 deaths and more than 1,800 injured. The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was in the Longtoushan township southwest of the city of Zhaotong.

Local communication, power and transportation were cut off as of 8 p.m. Beijing time, said the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

The earthquake occurred at 4.30 p.m. and resulted in the toppling of 12,000 homes in the densely populated region of Ludian. The area affected by the quake has a population of 429,000 people, many of which are currently being accommodated with tents, folding beds and quilts given by the local government.

CCTV, the Chinese state broadcaster, reported that this was the strongest quake to hit Yunnan in 14 years. In 1970, a magnitude-7.7 earthquake in the area had killed at least 15,000 people, followed by a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in 1974 resulting in 1,400 deaths. In September 2012, 81 people died and 821 were injured after a series of quakes in the area.

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