At least four die as 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan shakes region

A strong earthquake in northern Afghanistan was felt across much of South Asia on Monday, shaking buildings from Kabul to Delhi and cutting power and communications in some areas. Early reports said at least four people had died. The United States Geological Service put the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.7 and said its epicentre was in the far northern province of Badakhshan, which borders Tajikistan and China. USGS said it was 213km (132.3 miles) deep and 73km (45 miles) south of the Badakhshan capital, Fayzabad. "There are reports of casualties and destruction" in some remote districts of Badakhshan, said the provincial director of the national disaster management authority, Abdullah Humayoon Dehqan.

I was praying when the massive earthquake rattled my home. I came out in a panic.

Munir Anwar, a resident of Liaquat Pur in the eastern Punjab

Power was cut across much of the Afghan capital, where tremors were felt for around 45 seconds. Houses shook, walls cracked and cars rolled in the street. Officials in the capital could not be immediately reached as telephones appeared to be cut across the country. In Pakistan, Zahid Rafiq, an official with the meteorological department, said the quake was felt across the country. In Islamabad, buildings shook and people poured into the streets in a panic, with many reciting verses from the Quran.

Science quake