Hundreds injured as major earthquake strikes Iran

Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

This photo shows damage from a major earthquake in 2017 which devastated Iran's Kermanshah province.

• A major 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit western Iran on Sunday night, injuring hundreds of people and sending panicked residents running.
• Between 300-500 people were reported injured in the quake. No casualties have been reported as of Sunday evening.
• The earthquake originated 20 km (12.5 miles) southwest of Sarpol-e Zahab, in the Kermanshah Province of Iran close to the Iraq border, which experienced a devastating earthquake this time last year.
• Iran sits along major fault lines and experiences near daily seismic events.

A major 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit western Iran on Sunday night, injuring hundreds of people and sending panicked residents running into the street.

According to USGS, the earthquake originated 20 km (12.5 miles) southwest of Sarpol-e Zahab, in the Kermanshah Province of Iran close to the Iraq border.

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Sunday's earthquake struck near Sarpol-e Zahab in Iran's Kermanshah province, located close to the Iran-Iraq border.

The quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) at around 8:00 p.m. local time. Shallow earthquakes can often cause more broad damage.

Tremors were felt as far away as the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Hundreds of people have been reported injured in the quake. According to the Associated Press, over 500 people were injured. Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported 387 injured, most of them minor.

All schools and universities in the region were closed on Monday, IRNA said. Roads were temporarily closed and electricity was affected by the quake but they appeared to be back in order by Sunday evening.

Dozens of rescue teams were dispatched to the area, authorities said. Several army units were also called in to assist in rescue efforts.

Iran sits along major fault lines and experiences earthquakes on a near daily basis.

The location of Sunday's quake, Sarpol-e Zahab, was hit with a major 7.3 earthquake last year that killed more than 600 people and left thousands injured and homeless. It was the deadliest earthquake of 2017.