Berlin, July 22: A 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook homes on the border between Germany and the Netherlands today but caused little damage, officials said. The earthquake hit at 7:44 am (local time) near the border city of Aachen, said Klaus Lehmann, a geophysicist at the geological institute of north Rhine-Westphalia, which tracks seismological activity in the area.

No damage was reported, Lehmann said.

The quake's epicenter was between the towns of Alsdorf and Uebach-Palenberg, and was felt not only in Germany's Rhineland but also parts of the Ruhr Valley. Small earthquakes are common in the area, which is the most seismically active part of Germany. No damage was reported in the Netherlands, or in Belgium where the temblor was also felt.
Bureau Report