Southwestern Pakistan rattled by magnitude 6.4 earthquake

QUETTA, Pakistan — A Pakistani official says a strong, magnitude 6.4 earthquake has struck the country’s remote southwest and that there are reports of damages to houses but no casualties.

Nasir Mahmood of Pakistan’s Meteorological Department says the epicenter of the quake was west of the coastal town of Pasni in Baluchistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran. The town lies about 700 kilometers (437 miles) south of Quetta, the provincial capital.

The official says Wednesday’s quake had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey described the temblor as a magnitude 6.3 quake.

Regional commissioner Tufail Baluch says disaster management departments have been put on high alert in case of any aftershocks.