BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- An magnitude-7.0 earthquake rattled a rural area in northern Argentina early Saturday, but the temblor's epicenter was so deep that it was barely noticed in nearby towns.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, and the earthquake was barely felt in Santiago del Estero, the provincial capital.

Emilio Abdala, a receptionist at the 14-story Hotel Casino Carlos V in the capital city, told The Associated Press that nobody felt anything.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter, with a depth of 583.6 km, was initially determined to be about 160 km northeast of Santiago del Estero.