Northeast Afghanistan Shakes from 6.2 Magnitude Quake
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.2-quake was centred 64 kilometres south of Faizabad and hit at 8:05 a.m.
Damage reports from northeastern Afghanistan are often slow to trickle in, because of the region's remoteness and a lack of communication facilities.
The quake was felt across northern Pakistan, including in the capital, Islamabad, 451 kilometres away. It also was felt in Tajikistan and in the Indian and Pakistan-administered portions of Kashmir, where a severe earthquake in October 2005 left thousands dead and caused widespread destruction.
Badakhshan — the most remote area in Afghanistan — is home to the towering mountains of the Hindu Kush and is a region prone to earthquakes.
A 6.7-magnitude quake struck Badakhshan in December 2005, killing at least five children. That quake was centred about 97 kilometres southeast of Faizabad.
In May 1998, a 6.9-magnitude quake hit near Faizabad, triggering massive mudslides and flooding that left more than 5,000 people dead.