A strong earthquake in Tajikistan has killed at least five people and destroyed many homes

At least five people have been killed in a powerful earthquake in Tajikistan. Many houses have been destroyed. Qatar-based Al Jazeera quoted local authorities as saying.

At 8:14 a.m. local time on Saturday, a strong earthquake shook the eastern district of Rashat in Tajikistan. The quake was also felt in the country's capital, Dushanbe, at least 175 kilometers from the source.

According to the Tajik state news agency Khobar, the quake had a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter scale and its epicenter was 10 km below the surface.

The Tajik Emergency Management Committee said dozens of homes had been destroyed by the quake. At least three villages in Tajikabad district have been cut off from electricity. All the victims were residents of this village.

Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon has ordered the formation of a commission of inquiry into the quake's damage, which will be headed by the country's prime minister.