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A magnitude 4.9 earthquake hit eastern Algeria on Friday, toppling three houses, damaging others, and sent panicked people rushing into the streets but there were no reports of casualties, the civil protection service said.

According to the civil protection, three homes, including a four-storey villa completely collapsed while 31 other apartments partially collapsed.

The quake also caused cracks in other homes and a road had to be closed as a result of the damage, it said.

The quake, which was followed by a 4.5 aftershock, hit Mila province, some 350 km (215 miles) east of the capital Algiers.

In 2003, an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 hit the capital and nearby areas, killing 2,000 people.