Strong quake strikes Russia-Mongolia border region, no damage

[News_Editor]

Strong quake strikes Russia-Mongolia border region, no damage

2012-02-27 00:18:00 GMT+7 (ICT)

KYZYL, Russia (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck southwestern Siberia near the border with Mongolia on early Sunday afternoon, seismologists and witnesses said. There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

The 6.7-magnitude earthquake at 1:17 p.m. local time (0617 GMT) was centered about 105 kilometers (65 miles) east of Kyzyl, the capital of the Tuva Republic in Russia. It struck about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Residents near the epicenter in the mountainous region fled their homes in panic, but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. Officials at the Russian Emergencies Ministry said the earthquake caused things to fall from shelves but all damage was believed to be minor.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that approximately 4,000 residents near the epicenter may have felt 'severe' shaking, while another 9,000 people may have experienced 'very strong' shaking. Some 222,000 others may have perceived moderate to strong shaking.

In December 2011, a strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the same region and was centered about 96 kilometers (59 miles) east of Kyzyl, according to the USGS. There were no reports of major damage or injuries, but phone services in the region were temporarily overwhelmed.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-02-27