An earthquake hit southwest China on Wednesday, knocking down houses and forcing around 1,200 people to evacuate from near the site of a devastating quake which killed at least 70,000 people in May, state media said.

The quake, measuring five on the Richter scale, jolted western Yunnan province, south of mountainous Sichuan which took the brunt of the May 12 tremor.

Many homes collapsed in Sudian township, the epicentre, nearly 50 km (30 miles) from Yingjiang county seat, and several townships reported damage, but there were no reports of casualties, Xinhua said.