ISLAMABAD // A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan today, the US Geological Survey said.
Light tremors were felt across the UAE varying between three and four on the richter scale, according to the National Center for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS).
"At 3:29 an earthquake that registered 8 on the richter scale in southern Pakistan took place approximately 950 Km north east of Ras Al khaimah," a NCMS spokesperson said. A full update will be issued by the center.
The earthquake struck at 4.29pm local time about 100 kilometres southwest of the city of Khuzdar in Baluchistan province, at a depth of 15km.
The USGS originally gave the earthquake a 7.4 strength at 29 kilometres but later revised their figure.
Pakistan's meteorological office gave the magnitude as 7.7.
Baluchistan is the country's largest but also the least populated. There was no immediate word on casualties.
Minor tremors were felt as far away as New Delhi, while office workers in the city of Ahmedabad near the border with Pakistan ran out of buildings and into the street.
In April a 7.8-magnitude quake centred in southeast Iran, close to the border with Baluchistan, killed 41 people and affected more than 12,000 on the Pakistan side of the border.
* Agencies and additional reporting from Awad Mustafa