Quake Hits Germany and France

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale shook a region around the town of Freiburg im Breisgau in southwest Germany town early Sunday, prompting numerous calls to the fire services, the regional geological office announced. Across the border in eastern France the tremor which occurred at 1:52 GMT was put at 4.9 on the Richter scale, according to the Strasburg Observatory. While there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, the office said that given the size of the quake it was logical to expect some damage. The tremor was also felt strongly in the south of Alsace in France. The strongest previous quake in the region was measured at 5.9 on the Richter scale on February 22, 2003 and was felt as far away as the Paris region.