An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale hit Ludian County in southwest China's Yunnan Province at 21:38 pm Wednesday, according to the State Seismological Bureau.

The earthquake injured two with nobody killed thanks to the forecast from the state seismological bureau and lookout kept by the local government.

The accommodation of the victims has been well arranged and rescue teams led by provincial official Li Weijun have rushed to the area, said acting county magistrate Yin Guiyou.

The epicenter of the quake is located at 27.12 degrees north latitude, 103.38 degrees east longitude, some 255 kilometers north of the province's capital Kunming.

Nearly two thirds of the houses in the county collapsed with the schools buildings seriously damaged in the two consecutive earthquakes.

Measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the quake jolted Ludian County and the nearby Zhaoyang District of Zhaotong City in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Nov. 15.

Ludian with a population of 370,000 is among the country's poorest areas and is under the state support.

It was the fourth earthquake to hit Yunnan during the past five months. An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale hit the province on July 21, killing 16, and another occurred on Oct. 26, killing three.

(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2003)