Moscow: At least 12 people were killed in an earthquake jolting Russia's North Caucasus region, Itar-Tass news agency reported quoting the republic's health minister Musa Akhmadov.

More than 100 people have been hospitalised in Chechnya, Akhmadov said.

Earlier, the agency quoted Chechen deputy emergency situations minister Akhmed Dzhairkhanov as saying that five people died in Saturday's earthquake.

The quake measuring over 5.0 on the Richter scale hit Chechnya at about 1 p.m. Moscow time (0900GMT) and tremors were felt throughout the neighbouring republics of Dagestan, Ingushetia, North Ossetia, and the Stavropol region.

The epicentre of the quake was at a depth of 10 km below ground in the Shelkovsky district, the Interfax reported.

Buildings were damaged or destroyed in several districts and the Chechen capital Grozny, as well as the cities of Gudermes and Argun, Dzheirkhanov, said.

 

Source : IANS