One person killed, dozens injured in SW Iran quake
July 08, 2019 - An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale hit the southwestern parts of the country, killing one person and injuring at least 60 others.
According to the Iranian Seismological Center, the tremor rattled an area near the town of Masjed Soleiman in Khuzestan Province at 11:30 local time (0700 GMT) on Monday.
The tremor struck at a depth of 17 kilometers (10.5 miles), 34.847 degrees north latitude and 45.762 degrees east longitude, according to Press TV.
At least 15 aftershocks, ranging from 3 to 4.6 magnitudes, were reported.
A middle-aged man lost his life due to the quake. Fear has been cited as the reason behind this person’s death, according to Tasnim News Agency.
According to the Crisis Management Center of Khuzestan, the rescue and relief operators have been dispatched to the area.
The cities of Shadegan, Hamidiyeh, Shoushtar have also been affected by the quake, with several buildings being destroyed.
The Kuwaiti National Seismic Network said Monday that the tremors were also felt in the country.
The tremors lasted for seconds and it was felt in various parts of the country, KUNA reported.
Western part of Iran has faced several powerful quakes in recent years. In 2017 a deadly 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit Iran and Iraq, killing 620 and injuring thousands more.
The deadliest quake in Iran's modern history happened in June 1990. It destroyed the northern cities of Roudbar, Manjil, and Lushan, along with hundreds of villages, killing an estimated 37,000 people.
Bam in the country’s southeastern province of Kerman witnessed a strong quake in December 2003 which killed 31,000 people.
Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, being crossed by several major fault lines that cover at least 90% of the country. As a result, earthquakes in Iran occur often and are destructive.