Magnitude 5.9 quake jolts Iran, killing 5, injuring over 100 others

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck northwestern Iran on Friday, killing at least five people and injuring over 100 others.

According to foreign news agency, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake jolts Iran killing five people and injuring more than 100 others.

The temblor struck Iran’s Eastern Azerbaijan province. The area is some 250 miles northwest of Iran’s capital, Tehran.

The US Geological Survey issued alert warnings that the effects of the quake could spread further, leading to more deaths. Iran is located exactly where the two tectonic plates are found.

People have taken shelter in their cars as the quake jolted much strongly. Authorities have sent rescue teams to the affected areas. Aftershocks are likely to continue.

Over 40 aftershocks rattled the rural region, and residents rushed out of their homes in fear.

The quake injured at least 312 people, though only 13 needed to be hospitalized.

Provincial Governor Mohammad Razamir told media that about 30 houses are destructed by the quake.

Rescuers have been dispatched to the region, earthquake destroyed 30 homes at its epicenter.

Iran is on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.

A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.