A moderate earthquake in Algeria on Friday killed two people and injured 43 others, the interior ministry reported.

The 5.2-magnitude quake occurred outside the city of Melouza, 250 kilometres (155 miles) southeast of the capital Algiers, the ministry said, according to news agency APS. No details were provided on material damage.

Twenty-three of the 43 people hurt were being kept under medical surveillance in hospital, it said.