Number of People Injured in Earthquake in Northwest Iran Exceeds 1,100 - State Media

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The number of people affected by an earthquake in northwest Iran has exceeded 1,100, state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Wednesday, citing ambulance service.

Iranian media reported earlier on Wednesday that the number of those injured reached 580 people, with 135 hospitalized and at least four of them in need of surgery.

According to the latest data, up to 1,127 people were injured due to the earthquake, an ambulance service spokesperson told IRIB.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a 5.7 magnitude earthquake at 00:21 GMT in the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan. The earthquake occurred at a depth of five kilometers (3.1 miles). Dozens of aftershocks were recorded throughout the day, including a 4.7 magnitude.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in a conversation with the local authorities, instructed relevant bodies to provide assistance to the people affected by the disaster as soon as possible and to facilitate the provision of support to the affected areas. People whose apartments or houses were damaged will be provided with temporary accommodation.