Three people were killed and about 300 injured Sunday when an earthquake measuring at least 6.0 on the Richter Scale struck northern Malawi, the second in under two weeks, authorities said.

"This morning's tremor was a 6.2 size magnitude," said Malawi's chief geologist Leonard Kalindekase, adding it was the "largest so far" since the tremors began two weeks ago.

The US Geological Survey said the quake measured 6.0 on the Richter scale and struck at 1:19 am Sunday (2319 GMT Saturday).

Gasten Macheka, the district commissioner for the Karonga district which borders Tanzania, said the three dead included a child who died after bricks fell on him, and two adults. Eighty-one people have been admitted to district hospital.

Macheka said the quake destroyed several buildings in the uranium-rich mining district.

Scores of others were injured, including those in a dormitory of a state school when walls collapsed.

Over 200,000 people have been urged to evacuate their homes in the district which lies in the earthquake-prone Great Rift Valley.

A one-year-old boy was killed and 12 people were injured last Tuesday when a series of moderate earthquakes struck Malawi and Tanzania, the biggest of which registered 5.9 on the Richter scale.

In total 4,656 people have been affected by the series of quakes, and 1,100 houses destroyed.