Southwest China quake destroys homes, three dead
(Adds death toll, reports from state TV)
SHANGHAI, Aug 30 (Reuters) - An earthquake hit southwest China's Sichuan province on Saturday, destroying homes and killing three people, China's state television reported.
The epicentre of the quake, which struck around 4:30 p.m. (0730 GMT), was about 20 miles (30 km) southeast of Panzhihua, near the border with Yunnan province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was about 6 miles (10 km) deep.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the magnitude at 5.7 and China's official Xinhua news agency said it measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.
"The death toll has risen to three in Huili county. A large number of houses have collapsed," Qi Kaihong, deputy chief of the Huili county publicity department, told China's CCTV.
A CCTV reporter in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province to the south of Panzhihua, said there had been no reports of deaths or damage in two counties around the city.
Parts of Sichuan province were devastated by an earthquake on May 12. The province, known for its pandas and fiery cuisine, has struggled to rebuild in the aftermath of the disaster that killed about 70,000 and left 10 million homeless. (Reporting by Edmund Klamann in Shanghai, Washington World Desk; Editing by Alex Richardson)
