BEIJING, Nov. 28(AP) -- A strong earthquake rattled parts of central China, killing at least 15 people, injuring more than 450, and destroying hundreds of buildings, the government said.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the magnitude-5.7 quake hit Saturday morning and was centered in central Jiangxi province's Ruichang city, near the border with Hubei province.

Most of the damage occurred in Ruichang and in the popular resort town of Jiujiang, it said. At least 14 people were killed and another 377 others were injured in Jiangxi, Xinhua said.

One person died in neighboring Hubei province and 81 were injured, including 78 students who were caught in a stampede during an evacuation, Xinhua said.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed and thousands damaged, the agency said.

Chinese Central Television news showed rows of crumbled brick buildings and deep cracks in the walls of buildings still standing in Ruichang.

The news showed a young boy with his head heavily bandaged and a man crying on a bench as he cradled an injured leg. An old man and his injured wife shared a cot at a makeshift medical center set up in the street.

Many people in Ruichang, which has a population of about 420,000, were staying outside fearing more aftershocks, Xinhua said adding that 1,000 tents were being sent to the area.

Temperatures in the region were relatively mild, hovering around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), weather reports said.

The United States National Earthquake Information Center reported the quake had a magnitude of 5.5.