IRKUTSK, October 14. /TASS/. An earthquake near Lake Baikal was felt in Irkutsk, an eastern Siberian city with a population of over 600,000 on Friday, the press service of the regional emergencies ministry department said.

According to local seismologists, it was a magnitude 7.9 seismic event (classed as ‘major’ on the Richter magnitude scale) at the epicenter, but was felt as a magnitude 5.0 tremor (moderate) in the regional administrative center of Irkutsk.

"At 08:54 (local time, 03:54 Moscow time) this morning, on October 14, a seismic event with subsequent aftershocks was registered. Its epicenter was located in Lake Baikal, 19 km east of the town of Bolshoye Goloustnoye in the Irkutsk Region," the press service said in a statement. "It was felt as a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in the city of Irkutsk."

The European Mediterranean Seismological Center said it was a magnitude 5.0 tremor.

The Irkutsk Region department of the Russian emergencies ministry has created a crisis center to respond to the event. Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev said municipal authorities should send groups of experts to examine buildings on their territory for potential damage.

No damage or casualties have been reported in Irkutsk, the city administration’s press service said.

"The city’s emergency services are gathering information about the consequences of the quake. Utility services are examining residential buildings. Social facilities and utility infrastructure are also being examined," the administration said in a statement. "Citizens did not report any damage to buildings. No damage or casualties have so far been confirmed."

The earthquake was also felt in the nearby region of Buryatia and its capital Ulan-Ude, but no damage or casualties were reported there as well.