Earthquake kills 200 in Iran
At least 200 people have been killed in an earthquake in western Iran, the official news agency reported today.
IRNA quoted the head of the provincial Red Crescent Society, Majid Shalviri, as saying the deaths occurred in the town of Bou’in-Zahra in Qazvin province.
The quake was a magnitude 5.2 and was also felt in the capital Tehran. Tehran University seismologists were quoted as saying the worst-hit area was around the town of Qazvin, 80 miles northwest of Tehran. The tremor occurred at about 7.30am (4am Irish time), state-run Tehran radio reported.
More than 100 people were reported injured.
Shalviri was quoted as saying the death toll was not final.
‘‘In the village of Kisse-Jin only, 80 people have been killed,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mohammad Hossein Parvinian, deputy governor of Qazvin province, told IRNA that 10 villages were damaged ‘‘between 50-90% and rescue teams have been sent to the region.’’ The villages are near the towns of Bouyzahra and Avaj in Qazvin province.
In 1963, a deadly earthquake hit the same area, killing 12,225 people and demolishing 124 villages in one of Iran’s most devastating natural disasters.
Iran lies on a major seismic line and is prone to quakes. Moderate tremors are reported in various parts of Iran almost daily.
