Strong earthquake hits Russia's North Caucasus

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A strong earthquake hit Russia's North Caucasus Saturday, an uncommon occurrence for the region, officials said. At least four people were killed. The quake hit around 1 p.m. (0900 GMT) and was centered northeast of the Chechen capital, Grozny, Russian emergency officials said. The US Geological Survey said the temblor had a preliminary magnitude of 5.9. The quake, which was felt throughout the North Caucasus and rattled Grozny for more than 30 seconds, killed at least four people, said Oleg Grekov, a regional Emergency Situations Ministry official. He did not know the exact circumstances of their deaths.