Magnitude 6.8 quake in Tajikistan; no injuries, damage

BEIJING -

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook a lightly populated, remote part of Tajikistan early Thursday near China's far western Xinjiang region, officials said. No injuries or damage were reported.

The epicenter was 67 kilometres (41 miles) west of Murghob, Tajikistan, and 20 kilometres (12 miles) below ground, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Mughrob is the district capital with a population of a few thousand people, high in the Pamir Mountains.

The quake was strongly felt across the border in some areas of Kashgar prefecture and Kizilsu Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture in Xinjiang, but no injuries or damage have been reported so far, state media CCTV said, citing local information officers.

China's Earthquake Networks Center said the quake was magnitude 7.2 and 10 kilometres (6 miles) deep. Measurements by different agencies often differ.

Five aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.6 to 5 followed later on Thursday morning, with their epicentres likewise located west of Murghob, Tajikistan's state Khovar agency reported.

A further magnitude 5 quake was recorded in the early afternoon 86 kilometres (53 miles) west of the city, Tajik State Emergencies Committee spokeswoman Umeda Yusufi said. Neither referenced any injuries or damage.