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	The quake struck 11 kilometres (seven miles) west-northwest of the town of Wenping at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres at 4:30 pm (0830 GMT).</div>
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	USGS warned that &quot;Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking&quot;.</div>
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	State television reported that firefighters were rushing to the epicentre of the quake.</div>
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	Southwest China lies where the Eurasian and Indian plates meet and is prone to earthquakes.</div>
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	In 1974, a 6.8-quake in the same area killed more than 1,500 people.</div>
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	In September 2012, 80 people were killed when twin earthquakes struck the mountainous border area of Yunnan and Guizhou.</div>
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	In May 2008, an 8.0-magnitude quake rocked Sichuan, which neighbours Yunnan, killing tens of thousands of people and flattening swathes of the province.</div>
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	AFP</div>

Strong 6.1 quake hits southwest China: USGS

BEIJING - A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit southwest China's Yunnan province Sunday, the US Geological Survey said.