March 31, 2006 - 15:01 AMT
Earthquake in Iran Kills 50
Killer quakes, ranging between 4.7 to 6 degrees on the Richter scale, have claimed lives 50 people and injured above 850 others, ruining the provincial cities of Dorud and Borujerd. Ambulances, blankets, food, heaters and medicine have been cited as the mostly needed items. Two relatively strong earth quakes caused panic in the cities of Arak and Shazand in Markazi province from late Thursday until early Friday. The quakes occurred in the local time of 23:15 (07:45 GMT) and 04:50 (01:20 GMT). The epicenter of the second quake with magnitude of six degrees on the Richter scale was registered in Chalanchovan in Doroud city of Lorestan province. The quake left no damage or casualties in Markazi province, announced Markazi Natural Disaster Headquarters on Friday. Search and rescue works are carried out in the calamity zone.