Magnitude 5.6 earthquake rattles northwestern Iran, 82 people injured

ANKARA

At least 82 people were injured as a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Iran’s northwestern province of West Azerbaijan on Friday, local authorities said.

In a press statement, Amir Abbas Jafari, the director general of crisis management in West Azerbaijan province, also said several buildings were damaged in the earthquake in the cities of Khoy and Salmas.

The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said in a statement that the earthquake was recorded at a depth of seven kilometers (some five miles) and was also felt in the eastern Turkish provinces of Van and Hakkari.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat