5.5-magnitude quake hits NE Afghanistan

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted northeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, causing panic among local residents.

The quake, which took place at around 01:42 p.m. (09:12 GMT), was also felt in most places in northern and eastern parts of the mountainous country.

The epicentre of the quake has been at Jarm district, northern Afghan Badakhshan province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicentre, with a depth of 176.74 km, was initially determined to be at 36.4751 degrees north latitude and 70.86 degrees east longitude, it said.

There were no immediate reports of possible casualties or damage. Enditem