Monitoring desk
TEHRAN: At least 328 people were killed when a strong earthquake of 7.3 magnitudes hit the region around the border between Iran and Iraq on Sunday.
Behnam Saeedi, a spokesperson of Iran National Disaster Management Organization, confirmed that more than 207 people were killed in Iran and more than 2500 were injured. He added that the earthquake was felt in several provinces of Iran but it strongly hit the Kermanshah area of Iran and the administration of Kermanshah announced three days of mourning.
The state television reported that hospital in Sarpol-e Zahab town in Kermanshah was severely damaged which was situated at about 15 km from the Iraq border and it was struggling to treat the hundreds of injured people.
Similarly, in Iraq the Kurdish health officials confirmed that at least four people were killed in Iraq and more than injured.
Hundreds of people in both countries out onto the streets and parks in cold weather because of aftershocks fear in the area. The electricity was cut off in several Iranian and Iraqi cities.
Interior Minister of Iran, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has said the helicopters were facing difficulties to reach out the affected because of night and some roads are also cut off and we are worried about the remote areas.
The Iranian armed forces have been deployed to help emergency services.
