At least 6 killed, more than 300 injured in Iran's M5.9 earthquake

A damaged car is seen under the ruins, after an earthquake hit the Varankesh village in Eastern Azerbaijan province, northwest of Tehran, Iran November 08, 2019. / VCG Photo

At least six people died and 345 others were injured when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Iran early on Friday, according to local media.

The earthquake hit the Tark region in Iran's northwestern East Azarbaijan province at 2:17 a.m. local time on Friday (2247 GMT on Thursday) at a depth of two kilometers, according to Iran's Seismological Center.

The incident was followed by more than 60 aftershocks, causing people to stay outdoors in the middle of night.

Many of the people were injured while trying to flee their houses in panic. The tremor hit 80 villages and damaged 500 houses.

People and clergy look at damaged houses, after an earthquake hits the Varankesh village in Eastern Azerbaijan province, northwest of Tehran, Iran November 08, 2019. / VCG Photo

Water and gas supplies, which were disrupted in some of the villages, have been resumed.

"Rescue teams and helicopters have been dispatched to the quake-hit areas and hospitals are on full alert to help injured people," the head of Iran's emergency medical services, Pirhossein Kolivand, told state TV.

The earthquake was felt in five other provinces adjacent to the quake-hit region.