5.5-magnitude earthquake jolts Kashmir early morning

Srinagar: A moderate intensity earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale shook the Kashmir valley in the early hours of Tuesday with the epicentre believed to be in the Hindukush mountain range of Afghanistan.

"A moderate intensity earthquake occurred at 3:40am today," an official of the local MET department told IANS. "The magnitude of the earthquake was 5.5 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquake was in Hindukush mountain range of Afghanistan," he added.

The tremors were felt when Muslims had just finished their pre-dawn meal to begin the day's fast on the 12th day of the holy month of Ramadan.

No loss of life or property was reported so far.

More than 40,000 people had perished in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on the two sides of divided Kashmir that occurred on October 8, 2005. Geologists believe Kashmir is situated on a highly quake vulnerable fault line.

Devastating earthquakes have hit Kashmir in the past as well, but many have not been documented properly.