Earthquake hits northern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A powerful 6-magnitude earthquake jolted northern Pakistan today with no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The epicentre of the tremor was in the Hindu Kush mountains bordering Tajikistan and Afghanistan, an official of Pakistan Meteorological Department said.

The quake measuring 6 magnitude was felt in capital Islamabad, several areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.

The US Geological Survey reported that the magnitude of the quake was 5.1.

Pakistan lies in active seismic zones where frequent earthquakes take place.

More than 73,000 people were killed due to a powerful 7.6 quake in the north of the country in 2005.

Last year, Balochistan was struck by a 7.7 intensity quake which killed more than 500 people.