DUBAI, July 2 (Reuters) – At least five people were killed and 49 injured in a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in southern Iran on Saturday, state media reported, and the area was also affected. shortly after by two strong earthquakes of up to 6.3 magnitude.
About 24 earthquakes, two with a magnitude of 6.3 and 6.1, followed the 2 a.m. local time quake that crushed the village of Sayeh Khosh, off the coast of the Gulf of Iran, in the province of Hormozgan. The most recent quake occurred around 8 a.m., officials said on state television.
“All the victims died in the first earthquake and no one was injured in the next two serious earthquakes, as people were already out of their homes,” Foad Moradzadeh, governor of Bandar Lengeh, was quoted as saying. state news agency IRNA.
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Emergency services spokesman Mojtaba Khaledi told state television that half of the 49 injured had been discharged from hospitals.
Authorities said search and rescue operations were over.
Saeid Pourzadeh, of the Kish Island Crisis Working Group, said maritime transport and Gulf flights had not been affected by the quakes.
State television said 150 earthquakes and tremors had affected western Hormozgan over the past month.
Major geological faults cross Iran, which has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in Kerman province killed 31,000 people and crushed the ancient city of Bam.
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Dubai and Mrinmay Dey editorial report in Bangalore; Editing by Chris Reese, Sandra Maler and Kenneth Maxwell
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