Written by CNN Staff Writer
An earthquake has struck Iran’s West Azarbaijan province, killing at least one person and injuring another 14, officials said on Tuesday.
The quake, which measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, was centred 21 kilometers (13 miles) west of the town of Erzurum and had a depth of 6 kilometers (3 miles), according to USGS.
State-run IRNA news agency quoted the governor of West Azarbaijan province, Jahanbakhsh Alikhani, as saying the earthquake had hit at 8:25 a.m. local time (0255GMT).
The Iranian Red Crescent said Monday’s earthquake had affected homes in five areas and warned people living in vulnerable areas to be ready to seek refuge immediately.
Erzurum is a region of West Azarbaijan province that is home to many ethnic Kurds and has often been the target of deadly earthquakes.
CNN’s Sayeda Zahra Ahmad Zaeeni reported on a strong earthquake that hit in 2011 in the region that caused damages and casualties.