180 killed in strong quake in NW Iran

TEHRAN - The death toll of a strong earthquake in northwestern Iran on Saturday rose to 180 in the quake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported quoting an emergency official in Iran's East Azerbaijaqn province.

An injured person is taken to hospital in Ahar, Aug 11, 2012. Two strong earthquakes struck northwest Iran on Saturday, killing 180 people and injuring more than 1,300 as buildings were reduced to rubble, Iranian officials said. [Photo/Agencies]

The official, Khalil Saei, told Fars that the number of the injured has exceeded 1,300.

Earlier, Press TV reported that four villages were razed and 60 others partially ruined.

A strong earthquake jolted northwestern Iran on Saturday. The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, 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.

The first quake happened at local time 16:53 (GMT 1223), which was followed by another one measuring 6 on the Richter scale in Varzaghan region near Ahar with the depth of 10 km, and 38.45 degrees north latitude and 46.73 degrees east longitude at local time 17:04 (GMT 1234).