This is the dramatic moment a mother embraces her two children after a powerful earthquake shook their flat in China.

The footage starts with a peaceful scene of Mrs Yu and her daughters, who had just returned home when the quake suddenly struck their building.

Mrs Yu instantly grabs both her children, and the camera shakes severely, indicating the violence of the quake that struck the property in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province, on August 20.

She places both of them on the sofa and covers them with her body to protect them from falling masonry. The three then rush to what appears to be an entrance as the quakes stabilise.

Shortly after, they reportedly left the building before there were any aftershocks.

Meteorologists reported the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.7 but did not provide details on the damage.

Mrs Yu's husband, who saw the footage upon returning home, said he planned to keep the clip and share it with their daughters when they were older to show them how much their mum loved them.