Two dead as earthquake hits China

Two people are reported dead and 200 injured after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 hit the south-western Chinese province on Yunnan on Sunday.

The epicentre was in the city of Pu'er, and thousands are now being evacuated from the region, which is near the border with Laos and Burma.

Some buildings collapsed, and communications are difficult, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

Several thousand tents are being sent to the area.

The earthquake occurred at 0534 (2134 GMT Saturday), and was followed by a number of aftershocks.

One of the dead was a five-year-old boy, who was crushed when the family home collapsed.

"We estimate 120,000 people will have to be evacuated," a local official at told the AFP news agency.

About 30,000 people live in the old city of Pu'er, and tremors were felt up to 200km (120 miles) away.