Quake Collapsed 60 Percent of Houses in Iranian Town

A strong earthquake struck southeastern Iran on Friday, killing and injuring many people and destroying 60 percent of houses in the city of Bam with a population of 80,000. The earthquake was the strongest there since 1998.

“An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred at 5:28 am (local time) today. Most of the houses collapsed and many people were buried under debris in Bam,” Mohammad Ali Karimi, governor of Kerman province, told the state media.

A serious damage to historic relics is expected as the region was a center for caravan trade in the past. Gov. Karimi said three other neighboring villages are also reporting damages.

State radio said it appeared that many were killed as the epicenter of the quake was close to Bam and the area urgently asked for blood for transfusion.

Fixed lines were disconnected after the quake. The authorities concerned are contacting the area through radio transmitters and satellite phones, but exact damages are not clear.

The U.S. Geological Survey`s National Earthquake Information Center said its measuring equipment indicated Friday`s quake had a magnitude of 6.7. The Earth Sciences Laboratory in Strasbourg, France also reported the occurrence of the quake.

In June last year, a tremor measuring 6.3 on the open-ended Richter scale hit northern Iran, killing at least 229 people and injuring more than 1,000. Some 35,000 people were killed in 1990 when earthquakes of up to 7.7 on the Richter scale hit northwestern Iran.