Powerful earthquake in NW Iran leaves 40 dead
TEHRAN (ISNA)-A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted northwestern Iran, leaving at least 40 people dead.
The epicenter was initially determined to be at 38.49 degrees north latitude and 46.87 degrees east longitude in Ahar city of East Azarbaijan, according to Iranian Seismological Center.
Health Ministry’s director of emergency medical care Gholamreza Masumi said that the deadly earthquake had left about 40 people dead.
The quake happened at 16:53 local time (12:23 GMT). Some 400 people also reported to be injured and rescue team was dispatched to the area, a local authority told ISNA.

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.
The last deadly quake in Iran happened on Sept. 10 when a magnitude-6.1 earthquake killed at least 7 people and injured almost 47 more in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan, although there have been a number of moderate quakes which have left many injured.