The earthquake that hit southwest China's Yunnan Province has killed five and injured 52 others by 7p.m. Saturday.

Some 435 houses collapsed and 5,988 others were damaged by the quake in the populated villages of Zhaoyang District in Zhaotong City, said Vice Mayor Suo Fei.

The quake did not cause any collapses in Ludian County but many houses were in danger, especially the school buildings, said acting county magistrate Yin Guiyou.

Rescue teams led by provincial official Li Weijun have rushed to the area. All the injured have been given treatment.

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 at 2:49 a.m. Saturday, according to the State Seismological Bureau.

The epicenter of the quake is located at 27.2 degrees north latitude, 103.6 degrees east longitude, some 255 kilometers north of the province's capital Kunming.

Ludian County and Zhaoyang District are among the country's poorest areas and are under the state support. Ludian has a population of 370,000 and Zhaoyang has 760,000. The farmers' annual average income is only 960 and 1,100 yuan (US$117 and 134) respectively.

It was the third 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 the other occurred on Oct. 26, killing three.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2003)