Beijing (CNN) -- The death toll from Thursday's earthquake in southwest China is at least 16, with more than 160 injured, a local official told CNN.
The 5.4-magnitude earthquake hit near the border with Myanmar, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
It collapsed houses in the remote Yingjiang county in Yunnan province, according to a county official who would provide only his surname, Ke -- a common practice among officials.
State media said the quake hit the area shortly before 1 p.m. local time, cutting power and toppling buildings including hotels and schools.
The epicenter was 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away from the center of Yingjiang county, which has a population of more than 270,000 and is home to several of China's ethnic minorities.
China Central Television showed damaged buildings with debris and red lanterns lying around as police officers directed traffic on a chaotic street.
Aftershocks continued to jolt the area as firefighters and other rescuers helped free those trapped, Li Zhiren, the deputy county chief told CCTV.
The area has experienced minor quakes under a 5.0 magnitude since the year began, according to the Xinhua news agency. As of Thursday, the local seismological bureau had recorded more than 1,200 such tremors, Xinhua said.
Many jittery residents celebrated the lunar New Year holiday in tents last month. CNN
