The epicenter was located at Liuqie Township, some 45 kilometers of Dayao County.

Communication to the quake-hit area has been cut off and the quake was felt in Kunming, the province's capital.

There has been no immediate report of casualties.

A strong quake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck the county earlier this July, killing more than 10 people.

(Xinhua News Agency October 17, 2003)