Death toll of earthquake rises to 407 in Iran

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‍A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the northern border region between Iraq and Iran on Sunday evening, leaving hundreds dead.

Updated at 10: 40 p.m. BJT

The powerful earthquake along the Iran-Iraq border has claimed at least 407 lives in Iran, AP reported, citing an Iranian disaster management official.

Behnam Saeedi, a spokesman for Iran’s crisis management headquarters, said the number of injured in the quake is now 6,700.

A wounded boy is treated following an earthquake in Sarpol-e Zahab county in Kermanshah, Iran, November 13, 2017./ Reuters Photo

Updated at 8:10 p.m. BJT

At least 336 people were killed and 3,950 injured in Iran after the 7.3-magnitude earthquake, while in Iraq the quake claimed eight lives and injured 535 others, AFP reported, citing officials from both countries.

Updated at 4:25 p.m. BJT

At least 328 people were killed and over 2,500 injured by the quake in Iran's Kermanshah province on the Iraqi border, Iran's news agency ISNA reported on Monday.

The agency quoted the coroner's office in the province as saying that the death toll was expected to increase.

Updated at 2:00 p.m. BJT

The powerful earthquake has left 207 people dead, and some 1,700 people injured along the Iran and Iraq border, reported AFP citing officials.

The death toll is expected to rise as quake-triggered landslides have hindered rescue efforts.

Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said in a statement issued by his office that he is seeking to reassure Iraqi civilians of their safety.

There's no immediate official number of casualties from Iraq, but local media said six lives were lost in the earthquake.

Updated at 10:10 a.m. BJT

At least 129 people were killed in the border earthquake in Iran's Kermanshah province, provincial deputy governor Mojtaba Nikkerdar told state television.

"There are still people under the rubble. We hope the number of dead and injured won't rise too much, but it will rise," he added.

Power cut and traffic damage are reported across borders.

Updated at 8:40 a.m. BJT

The death toll of the powerful border earthquake has risen to 100, with over 1,000 other people injured in Iran, reported RT citing Iranian emergency official.

Six other fatalities were reported on the Iraq side of the border, according to AFP.

Updated at 7:33 a.m. BJT

At least 61 people were killed and more than 300 injured in Iran, according to Iran's news agency ISNA.

Another four fatalities are also reported from Iraq, according to BBC.

But the death toll in both nations is likely to rise as rescue operations are underway.

According to media reports, tremors were also felt in Turkey and Israel.

The quake was monitored outside the Iraqi city of Halabjah with an epicenter depth of 32.2 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The USGS issued an orange alert in the area for "shaking-related fatalities and economic losses.”

China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) put the earthquake at magnitude 7.8 and at a depth of 20 km.

In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened Iran's historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.

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