Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji on Wednesday offered his condolences to Afghan interim government Chairman Hamid Karzai after a strong earthquake hit the northern part of the country.

In a message to Karzai, Zhu said he was shocked to learn the news of the earthquake and expressed his sympathy with the Afghan people, who suffered the tragic loss of life and property.

He also expressed his belief that under the leadership of Karzai, the Afghan people will overcome the difficulties brought about by the calamity and rebuild their homes.

News reports said more than 1,800 people were killed in a series of strong earthquakes from Monday to Tuesday in northern Afghan province of Baghlan and some 4,000 homes were destroyed.

The first shockwave measuring up to 6.0 on the Richter scale struck around 7:30 p.m. (1500 GMT) Monday, destroying the town of Nahrin in Baghlan province, some 175 kilometers (109 miles) north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

(China Daily March 28, 2002）