If necessary, Bulgaria's army is ready to come to the aid of the country's citizens in the aftermath of the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that occurred near the capital Sofia early on Tuesday.

The army's assistance has not been sought yet, but it is prepared to react, Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov has stated, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

Angelov said he was concerned about the walls of the "Studena" dam near Pernik.

Pernik Mayor Rositsa Yanakieva has already assured the city's residents that the wall of the "Studena" dam is safe and undamaged and there is no danger of flooding

Dozens of buildings have suffered material damages in the capital Sofia and the city of Pernik, as well as in nearby villages.

Damages can be reported to the following phone numbers: 112, 02/988 04 35 and 02/987 55 55.

The earthquake had a magnitude of about 5.9-6.0 on the Richter scale, up from the initial reports of 5.8 and struck at 2:58 am Tuesday morning. Its epicenter is located about 6 km from the city of Pernik.