BEIJING : A moderate earthquake hit southwest China Monday, injuring 28 people, toppling more than 1,000 houses, and killing hundreds of livestock, local authorities reported.

The 4.9-magnitude quake hit Yunnan province early Monday morning not far from popular tourist destination Dali, striking at a depth of 35 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said on its website.

Nearly 300,000 people were affected by the tremor, but no deaths were immediately reported, an official at the Dali civil affairs bureau surnamed Zhao told AFP.

Zhao said more than 400 livestock, including sheep, chicken and pigs, had been killed.

- AFP/ir