More than 126,000 people had been left homeless after an earthquake in Southwest China that killed four and injured nearly 600, officials said.

The 5.6 Richter-scale quake rocked Ludian County in Yunnan Province late Tuesday, causing massive damage to buildings.

Some 126,234 people were living in tents or in the open after 18,556 houses had collapsed, according to the latest reports by Xinhua News Agency.

In addition, 65,601 houses were damaged as were schools, factories, office buildings and reservoirs.

In total, 594 people were injured, 127 seriously, Zhaotong Mayor Deng Xianpei was quoted as saying. Four people, including a four-year-old girl, were killed. Earlier reports said the death toll was three.

Ludian was in urgent need of relief funds, materials and medicines, said Deng.

Some hospitals had been damaged in the quake, but the number of injured continued to rise. Antibiotics and disinfecting medicines were "scarce," said Deng.

The quake almost entirely wiped out the tobacco industry, the backbone of the region. Reports say that 130,000 people will have to rely on relief food over the next eight months.

Rescue teams continued sifting through the wreckage Thursday in the worst hit areas, Taoyuan and Buga townships.

According to Xinhua, the county has received 3,000 tents, 4,500 quilts and 4,500 items of clothing sent by the Yunnan Provincial Government.

The Red Cross Society of China, meanwhile, is donating another 300,000 yuan (US$36,232) worth of tents, clothing and quilts to the victims.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have appropriated 12 million yuan (US$1.45 million) in emergency relief for Ludian.

With a population of 378,000, Ludian is one of China's poorest counties.

(Shenzhen Daily August 13, 2004)