Washington (ANTARA News/AFP) - An earthquake measuring 6.2 rocked southwestern Kyrgyzstan early Wednesday, with the epicenter close to the border with Uzbekistan, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake hit at 1:35 am (1935 GMT Tuesday) shaking the region some 404 kilometers (251 miles) southwest of the capital Bishkek, with the epicenter some 42 kilometers (26 miles) southwest of the Uzbek town of Fergana.

The quake struck the border region at a depth of just 9.2 kilometers (5.7 miles).

The Fergana Valley is an area shared uneasily by Kyrgyz, Tajik and Uzbek ethnic groups and the scene of periodic violence and unrest since the 1991 Soviet collapse. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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