By Sheikh Qayoom

Jammu/Srinagar, Dec 26 (IANS): An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted Kashmir on Saturday causing widespread fear and panic.

"An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale occurred at 12.44 a.m. The epicentre of the tremor was in the Hindukush region of Afghanistan," an official of the Met department said here.

"Its coordinates were latitude 36.5 degrees north and longitude 71.2 degrees east. The depth of the quake was 186 Kilometres," the official added.

People were jolted out of sleep after tremors were felt in Srinagar. In Jammu, residents were in the grip of fear due to the earthquake.

"I Thought some massive explosion had occurred outside our house," a Jammu resident said.

No loss of life has been reported from anywhere in the state so far.

"It is too early to say as the earthquake occurred after midnight. We are gathering information to be absolutely certain," said a senior officer of the state government.

More than 45,000 people were killed across divided Kashmir and properties worth billions destroyed in a 7.6 magnitude temblor that hit Jammu and Kashmir on October 8, 2005.