Strong earthquake jolts Central Asia

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Oct 5 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake struck Central Asia on Sunday but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, officials and witnesses said.

The quake jolted an area between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Central Asia's most densely populated corner prone to ethnic tension and instability.

The earthquake was felt throughout the region, mainly in Kyrgyzstan, but there were conflicting reports about the magnitude and epicentre.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that a 6.3-magnitude tremor struck 35 miles (55 km) east of Sary-Tash near the borders of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan at 9:52 p.m. (1552 GMT).

The Kyrgyz Emergencies Ministry said a quake measuring about 8 on a 12-point scale of earthquake intensity, hit a remote part of Tajikistan and jolted an area near Kyrgyzstan's second-biggest city, Osh...>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N05328956.htm




Kyrgyzstan quake kills 58 people - ministry
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L6198787.htm


Quake shakes central Afghanistan, no casualties
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL276861.htm


Quakes hit China's remote west
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK318010.htm

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1. Strong quake rattles Tibet

BEIJING, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Strong earthquakes hit China's remote western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang on Monday but both appear to have struck sparsely populated, mountainous areas and caused only limited damage.

The more powerful quake shook Tibet in the late afternoon, from an epicentre around 80 km (50 miles) west of the regional capital Lhasa. It was a magnitude 6.6 tremor, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website (http://earthquake.usgs.gov).

Residents in the city said they had felt the quake, but there was no visible damage. Closer to the epicentre, in the county of Qushui, buildings trembled and windows rattled but a hospital official said there were no reports of any injuries.

"It lasted for around one minute and there was an aftershock about fifteen minutes later," said Zhang Dong, who works in the office of the director of Qushui County Hospital.

"The building is still fine but windows trembled loudly. Nobody is hurt around us so far."

It came the day after a quake in neighbouring Kyrgyzstan killed 70 and flattened a village, and the same day as another strong quake in Afghanistan...>

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK318010.htm



Quake near Tibet capital kills at least 30 -Xinhua

BEIJING, Oct 6 (Reuters) - At least 30 people were killed in a 6.6-magnitude earthquake which was centered near the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, according to Xinhua, which cited the local government.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK246157.htm