One was killed, more than 300 people were injured and more than 18,000 houses collapsed in a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province Thursday evening, local authorities said.

Soldiers pitch tents for the quake-afflicted people. One was killed, more than 300 people were injured and more than 18,000 houses collapsed in a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province Thursday evening, local authorities said. [Xinhua]

Among the victims, 30 suffered severe injuries while the other 305 were slightly injured as of 1 a.m., said the quake-relief headquarters in Yao'an County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

All the severely injured were being treated at the People's Hospital of Yao'an.

The headquarters previously put the number of injuries at 336, among whom 56 were severely injured.

More than 18,000 houses collapsed and more than 30,000 others were damaged in six counties in Chuxiong, according to the latest figure.

This map shows the epicenter of the magitude-6.0 earthquake in Yao'an county, Southwest China's Yunnan province, July 9, 2009. [CFP]

The quake occurred at 7:19 p.m., at a depth of about 10 kilometers, with the epicenter in the county's Guantun Township, about 200 km from the provincial city of Kunming, said the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The quake was followed by eight aftershocks measuring 3 to 4.1 on the Richter scale, three centered in Yao'an and the other five centered in the neighboring Dayao County.

The latest aftershock occurred at 11:09 p.m. in Yao'an, at a depth of 14 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Xinhua reporters saw officials distributing tents, medicines and food to local residents in Guantun Township Thursday night. Citizens in Yao'an county seat, about 16 km from Guantun, gathered outdoors for fear of further aftershocks.

Strong tremors were felt in Chuxiong, Lijiang City, Kunming and Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.

The civil affairs department of Yunnan Province has allocated 4,500 tents, 3,000 quilts and other relief materials to Yao'an, officials said.

Two working teams, one headed by the Yunnan governor Qin Guangrong, and another from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and China Earthquake Administration, are en route to the epicenter.

More than 600 police officers were dispatched to the quake zone.