Major earthquake hits Iran-Pak border, many feared dead

Hundreds of people are feared dead as a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale rocked Iran on Tuesday.

Zee Media Bureau

Tehran: A massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale rocked Iran on Tuesday and the jolts of it were felt across the gulf region. There was no official conformity of the dead, however, it is feared that hundreds were killed in the quake. As per the US Geological Survey, the quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale had its epicentre on the Iran-Pakistan border at a depth of 15.2 kilometres. It was located 86 kilometres east-southeast of the Iranian city of Khash. A government officials told a news agency that "it was the biggest earthquake in 40 years and we are expecting hundreds of dead". There are no further details of the extent of the damage. The rescue teams are being sent to the quake stricken areas. The quake was felt in Iran, Pakistan and a major part of West Asia. At least 37 people were killed and 850 wounded when a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit south-west Iran on April 10. In Karachi, several persons were injured when a building collapsed. Geo News reported that urban centres of Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Abbottabad, Islamabad and Lahore were also jolted. The quake was also felt in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It shook buildings and there were reports that high-rise offices were evacuated in Abu Dhabi. (With Inputs from PTI)