DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – At least five people were killed by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake in southern Iran early on Saturday, state media reported. Two other strong earthquakes then struck the region.
Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of emergency management for Hormozgan province on Iran’s Persian Gulf coast, told Iranian state television that 12 people had been hospitalized, in addition to the five who died. “Rescue work has been carried out and we are now providing tents as emergency accommodation,” he said.
State news agency IRNA reported that the first earthquake, which caused major damage to the village of Sayeh Khosh, a village near the coast, was followed by two others, with magnitudes of 6. .3 and 6.1. There were more than a dozen aftershocks.
The United States Geological Survey gave different numbers. He said the first quake was magnitude 6.0 and the next two had magnitudes of 5.7 and 6.0.
“All the victims died in the first earthquake, and no one was injured in the next two severe earthquakes because people were already out of their homes,” IRNA quoted Foad Moradzadeh, the county governor, as saying. by Bandar Lengeh.
Tremors were felt in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Major geological faults crisscross Iran, which has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in Kerman province killed tens of thousands of people and leveled the ancient city of Bam.
Erin Mendell contributed reporting from Seoul.