Northwestern Iran Hit by Mild Quake
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck an area near the town of Silwaneh in Iran’s northwestern province of West Azarbaijan on Friday.
According to a report by the Iranian Seismological Center, the earthquake hit the area at 13:32 local time (1002 GMT).
The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 37.34 degrees north latitude and 45.10 degrees east longitude.
Iran lies on a major geological fault line and so is prone to experiencing large earthquakes.
Even moderate quakes can be deadly in the Iranian countryside, where houses are often built of bricks.
The deadliest quake in Iran's modern history happened in June 1990. It destroyed the northern cities of Rudbar, Manjil and Lushan, along with hundreds of villages, killing an estimated 37,000 people.
