July 12, 2012 - 10:48 AM
KABUL - Afghan officials say a strong earthquake has rattled a remote area of northern Afghanistan. There are no initial reports of injuries or damage.
The earthquake, which the U.S. Geological Survey reported had a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale, shook the region at 6:30 p.m. (1400 GMT) and had its epicenter in the Jarm district, located in the Hindu Kush mountains in Badakshan province.
Badakshan Deputy Governor Shams Ul Rahman said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake Thursday in the sparsely populated area.
Earthquakes are common in that area. The quake was felt as far south as Kabul and in Islamabad, the capital of neighbouring Pakistan.
News from © The Associated Press, 2012