This photo taken by cellphone on Aug. 3, 2014 shows people searching after an earthquake in Ludian County of Zhaotong City in southwest China's Yunnan Province. A 6.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Ludian County at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time), said the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). (Xinhua)

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Ludian County of Zhaotong City in southwest China's Yunnan Province at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time), said the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter was monitored at 27.1 degrees north latitude and 103.3 degrees east longitude with a depth of 12 kilometers, according to the CENC.

"I felt a strong jolt on my fifth-floor home and some small objects in my home fell off the shelves," said a resident in the county seat of Ludian.

Most people rushed out of buildings to the streets. Electricity was cut, telecommunications services were affected and it was hard to reach people in Ludian by mobile phone, the resident said.

Another resident said it felt like "sailing a boat" when he was driving a car in the tremor.

The quake toppled and cracked many buildings, particularly old ones and residential homes.

Police and paramilitary officers are assembling and rushing to the quake-hit areas.

The civil affairs authorities are sending 2,000 tents, 3,000 folding beds, 3,000 quilts and 3,000 coats to the quake region.

The Yunnan provincial earthquake administration has sent a 30-member working team to the epicenter and it will soon held a meeting to evaluate the situations.

Ludian has a population of 265,900 in its seven townships.

Zhaotong is about 300 km from Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan. In September 2012, a 5.7-magnitude caused more than 80 deaths and injured more than 800 people.

In 1974, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the same place caused over 1,400 deaths.

Death toll rises to 367 from China quake

At least 367 people have been killed and 1,881 others injured after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake rattled southwest China's Yunnan Province Sunday afternoon, rescuers said.

In Zhaotong City, the quake has killed 296 people and injured 1,591 in Ludian County. It has also left 60 dead and 193 injured in Qiaojia County, and caused another death in the city's Zhaoyang District.

Meanwhile, in Huize County of Qujing City, it has killed 10 people and injured 97 others.

The strong quake struck at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) with a depth of 12 km. The epicenter is in Longtoushan Township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, the China Earthquake Networks Center reported.

2,500 troops rush to quake zone for rescue

More than 2,500 officers and soldiers have been dispatched to join the disaster relief operation in a southwestern Chinese county after a 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the area Sunday afternoon.

The Chengdu Military Area Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) started an emergency plan immediately after the quake.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday Beijing Time, over 2,500 officers and soldiers, including those in active service and reserve duty as well as militia have gone to join the quake relief, with some of them rushing to the quake-hit area.

The strong quake occurred at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time) with a depth of 12 km and the epicenter in Longtoushan township, 23 km southwest of the county seat of Ludian, Zhaotong City.

At least 150 people have been killed and 180 others are missing.

PLA troops brought life detection instruments, excavating tools and other disaster relief equipment to the area. The military also deployed medical and disease-control stuff to the area, with surgical operating vehicles, field water purification vehicles and other equipment.

CMAC ordered its troops to put in more staff if necessary, and bring tents, food stuff, medicines and other materials to the quake-hit area.