Video Related To: Earthquake hit southwest China at least 80 people killed

At least 80 people have been killed and hundreds others injured in shallow earthquakes which struck the mountainous southwest China, with the rescue teams today reaching about 90% of the affected areas. "So far 80 people have been killed and 731 others injured in the quake affected mountainous region in southwest China," state-run news agency Xinhua reported today. Rescuers in Yunnan Province said that they had reached 90% of the six quake-hit counties under Zhaotong, where a total of 740000 people had been affected by the quake followed by a series of aftershocks. The disaster has so far incurred USD 551 million in direct economic losses, Yunnan's civil affairs department said. Two quakes measuring 5.7 and 5.6 on the Richter scale hit a border area near Yiliang in Yunnan and Weining county in Guizhou province at 11:19 am and 12:16 pm (local time) yesterday, respectively. Electricity has been cut off and landslides have blocked roads, creating complications for rescuers. Yunnan's civil affairs department said 6650 houses have been destroyed and 430000 others damaged. More than 100000 residents were evacuated and 100000 others are in need of relocation. Authorities are also taking epidemic control measures after shed collapses killed more than 4300 cattle in Yunnan. Over 153 hectares of farmlands were damaged. Reports from Guizhou region said the quake destroyed an entire mining community. "The hardest part of the rescue will be handling traffic. Roads are blocked and <b>...</b>