Disasters & Accidents

3 killed, over 800 injured as magnitude-5.9 quake rocks Iran

Tehran, Jan 29 (EFE).- At least three people died and more than 800 were injured when a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck northern Iran, officials said Sunday.

The quake occurred on Saturday night near the city of Khoy, located in Iran’s northwestern West Azerbaijan province, and close to the border with Turkey, the Seismological Center of the University of Tehran reported.

The tremor was followed by at least 10 aftershocks.

The governor-general of West Azarbaijan Province, Mohammad Sadegh Motamadian, said that three people had been killed and 816 injured, state news agency IRNA reported.

He added that 70 villages were also damaged by the earthquake.

The Red Crescent Society has sent two planes to the affected area to assist in search and rescue operations and provide survivors with tents, blankets and food.

Khoy was also struck by a magnitude-5.4 earthquake two weeks ago that injured 120 people and also damaged some 200 homes.

Earthquakes are frequent in Iran, which is located in a seismically active area.

The worst-ever quakes in Iran occurred in December 2003 and June 1990, when 31,000 and 37,000 people lost their lives, respectively.

More recently, in November 2017, a magnitude-7.3 earthquake killed 620 people and injured more than 12,000 in the northwestern province of Kermanshah. EFE

jlr/pi

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