An earthquake in Iran killed at least 37 people and injured hundreds more on Tuesday.
Iran was struck by a 6.3-magnitude quake which was centered 63 mils southeast of the Buschehr nuclear plant. Miraculously the plant did not receive any damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that there was no damage or radioactive release at the facility. The distance from the center of the quake was the reason why there wasn't damage. It wasn't clear if the nuclear plant remained open after the quake, CNN reports.
The city of Kaki, which is near the epicenter, was not spared. The earthquake left Kaki in ruins and the cities of Kormouj, Dayer and Kangan and the villages of Shanbe and Sana were also seriously damaged. The quake sparked landslides which destroyed buildings and caught crowds of people who were seeking help.
Five assessment teams from the Iranian Red Crescent Society were sent to coordinate rescue operations. The earthquake sparked at least three strong aftershocks which were felt in the same area within an hour of the initial quake.
At least 37 people are dead and 850 more were injured but authorities expect these numbers to rise further. At least 100 people were hospitalized.
The strong earthquake was felt across the Persian Gulf and trembling was felt in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Some buildings were evacuated in Abu Dhabi and some businesses cut the work day early for their employees. Water and electricity was cut to many locals.
The damage produced by earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.0 to 6.9 can vary widely. The epicenter could see slight damage to buildings of good design, but buildings that are poorly designed could receive great damage such as broken or fallen walls.
A lighter earthquake was felt near Iran on Sunday as well. Iran is located near seismic faults and experiences earthquakes frequently.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
