A powerful earthquake hit China's Yunnan province on Sunday afternoon, killing more than 300 people and injuring thousands as it toppled houses and other structures. 

The 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Ludian County of Zhaotong City in Yunnan at 4:30 pm Sunday (local time), toppling homes, telecommunications and power lines.

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Some 12,000 houses were reduced to rubble while 30,000 others were partially damaged.

Almost 200 people were reported missing while more than 14,000 residents sustained injuries as of Sunday evening, with power and communication problems complicating the assessment being done by Chinese officials.

U.S. Geological Survey data showed that the center of the quake, the most powerful since 2000, was about 11 kilometers (7 miles) west-northwest of the Wenping town with a shallow depth of 1.6 kilometers.

The magnitude of the earthquake is still unclear, with Reuters reporting it as 6.3 while CNN and Associated Press placing it at 6.1. State news agency Xinhua said it was a 6.5-magnitude quake, quoting its earthquake administration agency.

What is certain for now is that the earthquake has caused massive damage and casualties in China's southwestern region, specifically in Yunnan province where the quake was strongly felt, according to residents quoted by Xinhua.

Chinese officials have mounted rescue operations in the affected area in order to avoid further damage and fatalities as some residents were feared trapped under damaged houses.

More than 200 soldiers and policemen were dispatched to the region to distribute 2,000 tents, 3,000 folding beds, 3,000 quilts and 3,000 coats to people who lost their homes.

The Red Cross Society of China has also allocated another 2,000 jackets, 2,000 quilts, and 200 tents for affected families in Ludian, which has a population of 429,000.

Train service was also disrupted in the region while other roads leading to Longtoushan were blocked after heavy rainfall triggered mudslides in the area.

Suday's earthquake was recorded to be the strongest earthquake to hit China in 14 years following the massive quake that killed 90,000 people in Sichuan province in May 2008.

TagsChina earthquake