Quake shakes Tajikistan, at least three dead

ZAMINI NAV: An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale killed at least three children and left more than a thousand people without shelter in the south of Tajikistan, the Emergencies Ministry said on Sunday.   

The earthquake, whose epicentre was in northern Afghanistan about 180 km (112 miles) south of the Tajik capital Dushanbe, hit at 3:57 pm (1057 GMT) on Saturday.   

At least 19 people were injured and some were in a serious condition.   

A witness said the quake had almost completely destroyed three villages, including Zamini Nav, in Tajikistan's Qumsangir district near the border with Afghanistan.   

About 500 houses were destroyed and stunned villagers were left to huddle in the open overnight. There was a shortage of clean water and medicine.   

The Emergencies Ministry said the neighbouring Panj district was also affected. Several weaker tremors were felt overnight.   

Earthquakes, sometimes with large numbers of casualties, are common in Afghanistan and Tajikistan.