Three persons are dead, more than 50 people are injured in an earthquake, that jolted southwest China's Yunnan province Thursday.

Authorities say the quake, measuring magnitude 5.9 had its epicentre about 10 kilometres underground, near Yingjiang County, in Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture. That's about 500 kilometers away from the provincial capital Kunming. Homes were evacuated as thousands of people were moved to safety. Power and telecom networks were cut off in the stricken areas. 2,500 people are taking part in rescue efforts.

(CCTV August 23, 2008)