A strong quake in southwest China's Sichuan Province has left 181 people dead and 24 missing up to date, the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) announced Sunday.

Of the dead, 164 deaths were reported in Ya'an City and eight in Chengdu City, the CEA said.

At least 6,700 were injured, including 494 in serious condition, it said.

The quake hit Lushan county of Ya'an at 8:02 a.m. Saturday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The CEA has recorded 1,339 aftershocks in the epicenter Lushan county as of 12:00 a.m. Beijing Time Sunday, it said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2013)