Mar. 10, 2011 1:32 AM ET

Moderate quake hits SW China; casualties reported

BEIJING (AP) — China's state news agency says casualties have been reported after an earthquake struck the country's extreme southwest near the border with Myanmar.

The official Xinhua News Agency did not immediately give a casualty figure for the magnitude 5.8 earthquake. The website of the government earthquake monitoring station said the quake struck in Yunnan province just before 1 p.m. (0500 GMT) Thursday at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers).

The United States Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 5.4 and said it struck at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometers). Quakes of magnitude 5 or more are capable of causing considerable damage.

Associated Press

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