Earthquake rocks Russian island

A powerful earthquake has struck Russia's Far East coast, causing widespread flooding.

Reports said that Sakhalin island suffered an earthquake measuring six points on the Richter scale.

There are no immediate reports of injuries, but thousands of houses have been flooded by rivers that burst their banks, leaving many residents stranded on the roofs of their dwellings. A regional headquarters to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake has been set up.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service