China's civil affairs and finance ministries jointly allocated 18 million yuan (about US$2.6 million) on Saturday to help quake-hit Yunnan Province with its relief work.

The civil affairs ministry also sent 10,000 tents to the stricken area after an initial supply of 5,000 delivered on Friday.

Three people were killed and another 117 were injured in a magnitude-5.0 tremor which jolted Yingjiang County, Dehong Autonomous Prefecture of Dai and Jingpo nationalities in the southwest province over the past few days. The county was hit on Wednesday, followed by quakes with magnitudes 4.9 and 5.9, respectively, on Thursday.

The tremors also destroyed 11,360 houses and damaged 77,747 others, forcing the evacuation of about 125,000 residents.

(Xinhua News Agency August 24, 2008)