WASHINGTON: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck early Tuesday in northern Mongolia not far from the border with Russia, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles), was located 33 kilometers south-southwest of Turt, US seismologists said.

The epicenter appeared to be located under Lake Khovsgol, the largest fresh water lake in Mongolia by volume. It was located about 200 kilometers west of the southern tip of Lake Baikal.

USGS said there was a "low likelihood of casualties and damage" as a result of the quake.

"Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist," it added.