6.8-magnitude quake hits eastern Tajikistan —USGS

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Tajikistan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck around 5:37 a.m. local time (0037 GMT) at a depth of about 20.5 kilometers (12.7 miles).

USGS estimated that "little or no population" will be exposed to landslides from the quake.

Its epicenter appeared to be in Gorno-Badakhshan, a semi-autonomous eastern region that borders Afghanistan and China.

A 5.0-magnitude aftershock hit the area about 20 minutes after the initial quake.

The sparsely populated territory is surrounded by the towering Pamir Mountains. —Agence France-Presse