A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Tajikistan, with shaking felt throughout parts of Asia, seismologists and witnesses say.
The earthquake, which struck at 12:50 p.m. local time on Monday, was centered in a sparsely-populated region about 105 kilometers (65 miles) west of Murghob, the capital of Murghob District. It struck about 26 kilometers (16.2 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Computer models from the USGS estimated that some 75,000 people living near the epicenter may have felt moderate to strong shaking. Lighter shaking was felt throughout much of the region, with witnesses reporting having felt the earthquake as far as China, India, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan.
There were reports of damage and casualties from the area near the epicenter, but specific details about the extent were not immediately available. Authorities have yet to release a damage assessment.
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