Houses collapse as quake hits China tea city

BEIJING, June 3 (Reuters) A strong earthquake hit a tea-making city in southwest China today, causing houses to collapse and several injuries, Xinhua news agency said, citing an official source.

The epicentre was in the historic centre of Pu'er, in Yunnan province, and the magnitude was 6.4.

''Some houses collapsed and some people were injured in the stricken area,'' Xinhua said without giving details.

Rescue operations were under way.

Pu'er, home of the tea of the same name, is near the border with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

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