6.2 Earthquake Leaves at Least 23 Dead in Iran
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TEHRAN — A strong earthquake shook central and northern Iran on Friday, killing at least 23 people, injuring more than 100 and seriously damaging more than 80 villages, the Interior Ministry and state-run media said.
Many of the casualties occurred when the temblor unleashed landslides and boulders along the mountainous Tehran-Chalus road, burying people in their cars, state-run television reported.
The magnitude 6.2 quake was centered about 45 miles north of Tehran, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Eight provinces in central and northern Iran were affected, with the worst damage in villages near Alamut, about 70 miles west of Tehran, Interior Ministry spokesman Jahanbakhsh Khanjani said.
In Tehran, the quake broke windows and sent residents rushing outdoors. As midnight approached, many families were still in the streets or in parks, planning to spend the night outside for fear of aftershocks.
Iran is on seismic fault lines and prone to earthquakes.
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