BEIJING: A powerful, shallow earthquake totaled southwestern China close to the border with Myanmar, killing at least three people and injuring over two dozen, though a different, more extreme quake early Saturday dropped a bridge which caused additional damage in central China.

The very first, 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Yunnan province late Friday.

The next 7.3 magnitude quake happened hours afterwards from the southern portion of Qinghai province, approximately 1,000 km (621 miles) into the south, based on Chinese dimensions.

US Geological Survey geophysicist Jonathan Tytell explained the two quakes weren’t related.

The Qinghai earthquake has been accompanied by 453 aftershocks during the first morning to midday, as stated by the official People’s Daily paper.

At least eight people were hurt.

While no deaths have been reported up to now from Qinghai province, the quakes awakened bridges and roads, together with one falling entirely, broken into sections.

The Yunnan state seismological agency gave the size of Friday night’s quake and stated it fell 8 km (5 miles) beneath the surface shore of town of Dali.

Shallow quakes often lead to further harm, particularly in populated regions.

The earthquake generated powerful vibration around Dali, however, Chinese news reports revealed comparatively little harm.

Three people died and 28 were injured, Yunan state’s promotion department said Saturday.

Relief efforts were also underway, together with the provincial government shipping emergency rations and tents to the affected regions.

In Qinghai, police put up temporary security shelters because of constant aftershocks.

This past year, a magnitude 5 earthquake in Yunnan murdered four people and wounded 23.

China’s worst earthquake in recent decades hit the mountainous western part of Sichuan province to the north west of Yunnan at 2008, murdering almost 90,000 people.