Kabul - A strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck central Afghanistan early Monday morning, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre was located about 70 kilometres south-east of capital Kabul and it was 35 kilometres deep, the centre said in its website.

Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountainous region, where seismic activity is high, is often hit by earthquakes.

More than 70,000 were killed in a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Pakistan in October 2005.