MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Mar 21 -- The United States Geological Survey says a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 has struck northeastern Afghanistan. Police in the region say there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
The USGS said Monday that the quake struck in the Hindu Kush region about 69 kilometers (42 miles) southeast of Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan province. It hit at 2:19 p.m. (0949 GMT) and had its epicenter in a sparsely populated region 227 kilometers (172 miles) northeast of the capital. It was felt in Kabul and as far east as the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
Badakhshan deputy provincial police chief Sayed Hussain Safawi said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.AP
