Islamabad, Jan 19 (IANS) At least 10 houses collapsed or were damaged after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit a sparsely-populated mountainous region of Pakistan's Balochistan province early Wednesday, media reports said.

According to DPA, the US Geological Survey (USGS), however, downgraded the magnitude to 7.2 from its original estimate of 7.4. Tremors were felt as far as Delhi, capital of India, and its adjoining areas.

The quake was 84 km deep, the USGS said.

The temblor that occurred at about 1.23 a.m. Wednesday (2023 GMT Tuesday) jolted most of the major cities in the region, including Quetta, Karachi and Multan, according to Xinhua. Strong tremors were also felt in Lahore.

According to reports, houses were damaged in Quetta, capital city of Balochistan province. But details about the damage were not immediately available.

A three-storey building reportedly collapsed in Karachi after the earthquake. Details about any casualties were, however, not immediately known.

Local media quoted meteorological officials as saying that the epicentre was located in Kharan area of Balochistan province, with a warning that there might be aftershocks following the earthquake.

Meanwhile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the quake was too far inland to have generated a tsunami in the Indian Ocean.