Over 1,900 houses damaged, 300 residents relocated after 5.1-magnitude quake hits China's Yunnan

KUNMING, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,900 houses were damaged and over 300 residents relocated as of Wednesday noon after a 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Qiaojia County in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Monday evening.

The earthquake struck at 7:32 p.m. at a depth of 10 kilometers. No casualties or building collapses were reported. The assessment and verification of losses from the earthquake have been essentially completed, local authorities said.

According to Cao Shanyou, deputy head of Qiaojia County, the earthquake has caused damage to a total of 1,907 residential houses and eight school buildings, primarily exhibiting minor cracks. Throughout the county, 466 cases of slope collapses and rockfalls on roads, as well as 483 sites of road surface damage, were recorded.

Additionally, 19 cases of mountain fissures were identified, none of which pose risks to the safety of residential structures or impede public transportation. Furthermore, damage was reported at 544 water conservancy facilities, 270 production water cellars or pools, and 178 locations along the water supply pipeline network.

"We have properly relocated and accommodated 334 affected residents from 147 households, and effectively ensured their basic living needs, including food, water, heating and shelter," Cao said. "The next step will involve post-disaster recovery and reconstruction."

The China Earthquake Administration activated a Level-III emergency response after the earthquake and dispatched working teams to the affected area to support local relief efforts.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.