DUBAI: A major earthquake struck the western Iranian city of Abdanan on Monday, leaving 60 people injured, state news agency IRNA said.

IRNA said the quake was magnitude 6.1 while the US Geological Survey (USGS) put it at 6.3.

Water, electricity, and telephone lines in Abdanan, located in the province of Ilam, have been cut, said IRNA. State television footage showed destroyed houses, buildings and cars in the city.

According to IRNA, the aftershocks could be felt in three provinces including Ilam, Lorestan and Khuzestan.

The quake, at a depth of 6 miles, hit at 0232 GMT, according to the USGS. Iran sits on major geological faultlines and has suffered several big earthquakes in recent years.

In April last year, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Iran and neighbouring Pakistan, killing 40 people.A massive quake in December 2003 struck the southern city of Bam, killing 26,000 people and destroying its ancient mud-built citade