Quake Kills One In China, Forces 400,000 To Evacuate

July 10, 2009 3:58 p.m. EST

Kunming, China (AHN) - A 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China's Yunnan province on Thursday killing a woman and forcing authorities to evacuate 400,000 people.

The 50-year-old victim lost a lot of blood and died at a hospital after being dug up by rescuers under a pile of collapsed houses, officials at Yao'an County told Xinhua. The county was the epicenter of the quake that injured 325 people and destroyed 18,000 homes.

More than a thousand soldiers and police are evacuating and relocating 400,000 residents in the disaster area. Tents, medicines and food are also being distributed to displaced residents.

The quake struck at 7:19 p.m. with the epicenter 6.2 miles underground in Guantun township.