Moderate earthquake jolts Pakistan, Afghanistan

A moderate earthquake deep in the Hindu Kush mountain range on Tuesday jolted parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, but there were no reports of any casualties or damage, officials said.

A moderate earthquake deep in the Hindu Kush mountain range on Tuesday jolted parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, but there were no reports of any casualties or damage, officials said.

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"A moderate earthquake of 5.2 magnitude was recorded at 1334 (Pakistan standard time -- 0834 GMT)," Zahid Rafi, director of the seismic centre at Pakistan's meteorological department told AFP. "The epicentre of the earthquake was on the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border and its depth was 230 kilometres.

It was also felt in Pakistan's Swat Valley and other areas close to Hindu Kush," he said. On October 8, 2005 a 7.6-magnitude quake killed more than 73,000 people and left about 3.5 million homeless, mainly in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and parts of the country's North-West Frontier Province.