Twenty thousand people have been relocated in the quake-hit Mojiang Hani Autonomous County of southwest China's Yunnan Province, said an official with Yunnan Provincial Seismological Bureau.

The earthquake has affected nearly 100,000 people and caused an economic loss of 56.6 million yuan (some US$6.9 million), according to initial investigations.

Local government has collected 800,000 yuan (about US$98,765) for the quake-hit areas and allocated 31 tons of food and a number of clothes for quake victims.

An earlier report said a number of buildings in nine villages and townships have collapsed or damaged. One person was confirmed injured.

The earthquake, measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, jolted the Hani Autonomous County of Mojiang at 9:05 AM Thursday (Beijing Time), according to the seismological network of China.

The epicenter was located at latitude 23.4 degrees north and longitude101.6 degrees east, which is about 210 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Kunming.

Eight minor aftershocks had occurred by 9:00 AM Friday, and the seismological bureau predicts more aftershocks are likely to follow in the coming days.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2006)