The epicenter, with a depth of 11 km, was monitored at 23.28 degrees north latitude and 101.53 degrees east longitude, the center said in a statement.

Houses were shaking and some residents rushed out from their homes to open spaces, local government said.

Residents of high-rise buildings in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, some 270 km away from Mojiang, also felt obvious tremors.