A magnitude-6.2 earthquake hit a mountainous area in China's southwest, collapsing thousands of mud-brick houses while people slept inside. At least 16 people were killed and nearly 400 injured, officials said Wednesday.

Chinadaily.com.cn graphic by Zhousu

The tremor struck at 11:16 pm on Monday in Dayao County, 180 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital Kunming, causing over 18,000 houses to collapse and damaging even more, local civil affairs officials said.

The epicentre was located in the town of Tanhua, at 26 degrees latitude north and 101.2 degrees longitude east, according to seismologists with the China Seismological Bureau.

The casualty toll increased steadily and by early Wednesday the China News Service was reporting 16 killed. More than 390 people were injured, the Xinhua News Agency said.

Yunnan Vice-Governor Li Hanbai has gone to the disaster area to supervise the rescue and relief work.

More than 2,000 soldiers, armed police and militia reserves began to arrive in the quake-hit area yesterday morning to provide relief and help the rescue effort.

A 20-strong team of experts organized by the China Seismological Bureau also left for the area to provide help.

The provincial government sent two teams of officials and experts to assess the situation and help organize rescue work.

Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday urged the local and central governments to go all out to rescue the earthquake victims and minimize casualties in Yunnan.

In instructions dispatched shortly after the tremor occurred, Wen demanded that the relevant government departments transfer relief materials to quake victims as quickly as possible.

By last night, 1,100 tents, 100 tons of grain, 5,000 quilts and a batch of clothing and medicine have been transferred to the quake-hit areas by local departments of civil affairs.

Xinhua contributed to this story

(China Daily 07/23/2003 page1)

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