08-13-2012, 10:44 AM
Quake Jolts Northwestern Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale jolted the county of Varzaqan in the East Azerbaijan province, Northwestern Iran, on Saturday.
The Seismological center of the East Azerbaijan province affiliated to the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University registered the quake at 17:04 hours local time (1234GMT).
The epicenter of the quake was located in an area 46.7 degrees in longitude and 38.4 degrees in latitude.
Officials said more 50 people have sustained minor and major injuries due to the quake. Yet there is still no official estimate regarding possible casualties or damage to properties.
Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.
The worst in recent times hit Bam in southeastern Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people - about a quarter of its population - and destroying the city's ancient mud-built citadel.
The deadliest quake in the country was in June 1990 and measured 7.7 on the Richter scale. About 37,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 injured in the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan. It devastated 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.
Tehran alone sits on two major fault lines, and the capital's 14 million residents fear a major quake.