The Chinese central government has allocated 55 million yuan (8.37 million U.S. dollars) for quake relief in China's southwestern Yunnan Province, the ministries of finance and civil affairs said Friday.

The money will be used to relocate and settle local residents as well as provide them with living subsidies. Those who lost family members in the 5.8-magnitude quake will receive condolence funds.

A work group from the State Council, comprised of members from various departments, were on their way to the quake zone.

The provincial and local governments in Yunnan had previously earmarked 23 million yuan in emergency aid to the quake-hit regions.

The tremor jolted Yingjiang County of Yunnan Province near the border with Myanmar on Thursday, leaving 25 people dead and 250 others injured.

The earthquake destroyed more than 18,000 houses and damaged around 50,000 others.

Soldiers with search dogs and life detectors continued searching in the rubble Friday.

A total of 2,500 rescuers with Chengdu Military Area Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Chinese reserve forces have arrived in Yingjiang, according to officers from the Military Area Command.

By 8 a.m. Friday, 35 people had been found and saved from debris. More than 8,000 people were evacuated and 61 injured people relocated, the officers said.