9 dead after 5.7 magnitude earthquake hits Turkish-Iranian border

TEHRAN – Yesterday, an earthquake struck the village of Habashi Olia in northwestern Iran about 10 km from the Turkish border. The Center for Seismology at the Institute of Geological Physics at Tehran University announced that the earthquake center was at a depth of 6 km.

Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, visited the earthquake location, announcing that 9 people lost their lives. Several children were among the fatalities. “No one is under the rubble, currently,” said Soylu. “Search and rescue endeavors are continuing.”

Turkish Minister of Health Fakhruddin Kujah, announced that 37 people were injured, 8 of them are in critical condition.

The Turkish Disaster Management Agency stated they had monitored 24 aftershocks, including 2 with a 4.0 magnitude or greater.

State-run television broadcaster NTV aired footage of destroyed homes in the snow-covered villages in eastern Van Province bordering Iran.

In Iran, at least 67 people were injured in the earthquake and 43 villages suffered damage, according to the new toll announced by the Iranian Civil Defense.

The seismological center in Tehran reported that 2 aftershocks struck the same region on Sunday.

According to the American Geological Survey, the first aftershock was 4.3 magnitude, with the second being 6.0 magnitude.