TEHRAN: Iran was jolted by a series of moderate and light earthquakes on Sun­day, including a 5.9 magnitude temblor in a mountainous western region in which officials said some 150 people were injured.

The first temblor, measuring a magnitude of 4.6 rocked the town of Ruydar, in Hormozgan province, earlier in the day.

The town is located some 940 kilometres, or 580 miles, south of the capital, Tehran.

It was followed shortly after by a 5.4 magnitude afte­rshock, according to the Uni­ted States Geological Survey.

Iran’s semi-official news agency had initially reported the magnitude at 5.7. No injuries were reported.

In the afternoon, a 5.9 mag­nitude quake rocked an area in western Iran near the border with Iraq in Kermanshah province.

The head of the country’s agency that handles respo­nses to emergencies and natural disasters, Pirho­ssein Kolivand, told state television that 146 people were injured, including 21 who were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Kolivand did not mention any fatalities and could not be reached by phone for further details.

Some houses in the region were damaged, and the eart­h­quake caused a landslide that temporarily shut down a local road, the governor of Karmanshah, Hous­hang Bazv­and, told semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018