At least ten people were injured when an earthquake measuring 5.3 on the richter scale hit China's southwestern province of Yunnan on early Friday, the state seismological bureau reported.

The earthquake, centred in the town of Shidian in the mountainous region of Baoshen, was the third measuring more than 5.0 to strike the area in the past two months.

The entire region of 2.3 million people was affected by the earthquake, local officials said.

Some buildings collapsed and people fled their homes, but no further information was immediately available, officials at local seismological bureau told private news agency.

In April, an earthquake in Shidian measuring 5.9 on the richter scale killed one person, injured scores and destroyed 30,000 houses. Bureau Report