Moscow, Oct 01: A series of violent tremors rocked Russia's southwest Siberia region early today, reaching up to 8.0 on the Richter Scale, seismologists quoted by the Interfax news agency said. The strongest shock struck the Altai territory, its epicentre in a mountainous region 350 kilometres south of the regional capital Barnaul, experts said.

Some houses were damaged, there was no report of casualties, but a group of rescuers of the emergency situations ministry were dispatched to the site. The earthquake, which followed violent tremors that hit the same region on the weekend, was also felt in many cities of western Siberia including Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Belokurikha. Bureau Report