Magnitude 5.5 quake shakes CyprusApril 15, 2015 - 13:58 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 71 km (44 miles) northwest of Limassol in Cyprus on Wednesday, April 14, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, Reuters reported. The quake was mainly felt in the western Paphos region but also in the capital Nicosia. Cyprus state radio reported the tremor was a magnitude 5.3, at a shallow depth of 3 km west of Kissonerga, a village in Paphos popular with European and British retirees. "The chair I was sitting on started moving and my sister came running down the stairs to tell me the wardrobes and doors were rattling," said Sarah Ktisti, a journalist living in the region. Cyprus lies in an earthquake zone but large tremors are infrequent. The highest recorded in recent years was a 6.3 earthquake in 1996 which caused some damage, but no casualties. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |