All the school students of Dayao County returned to class Monday, only four days after a strong earthquake hit the area.

The 465 secondary and primary schools in the county of southwest China's Yunnan Province reopened, but part of the 45,000 students had lessons in 112 temporary classrooms, said Zhao Dehong, director of the county's education bureau.

More than 260 schools were affected and 530 school buildings were damaged to different degrees in the quake, causing direct economic losses of over 65 million yuan (US$7.83 million) and a three-day closure of the schools in the affected-areas, said Zhao.

The 6.1-magnitude tremor occurred at 8:28 pm on Oct. 16, with the epicenter located at Liuju Township, 45 kilometers from Dayao County.

Three people were reported killed and 46 injured in the quake.

(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2003)