Iran earthquake: 250 dead, 1800 injured

GlobalPost

At least 250 people are killed and more than 1800 injured after two strong earthquakes rocked north-west Iran on Saturday.

Relief efforts are under way after the earthquakes, measuring 6.3 and 6.4 on the Richter scale, struck near Tabriz and Ahar on Saturday afternoon. More than 55 aftershocks were reported through the following hours.

BBC News reported that more than 100 villages are damaged, and thousands of people spent the night in emergency shelters.
Hospitals in the area are struggling to cope with the thousands of victims, and casualty figures are expected to rise, according to officials, Reuters reported.

The Turkish Red Crescent said it was sending a truck full of emergency supplies to the border. 

The Tehran Times also reported the a gas pipeline has cracked in the village of A'har, causing a major fire hazard.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. In 2003, an earthquake in the city of Bam left 25,000 people dead.

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