Iran Hits Two Powerful Earthquakes

Two massive earthquakes that hit northwest Iran late Saturday night killed at least 180 people and injured about 1,500 others.

As local media in Iran reported that at pre-dawn Sunday, there were about 40 aftershocks occuring minutes after the quakes destroyed most parts of six villages.

According to U.S. Geological Survey , the first earthquake measured that struck 60 kilometers northeast of Tabriz city at magnitude 6.4.

The second quake, measuring at magnitude 6.3, struck near the town of Varzaghan eleven minutes later, the USGS said.

The emergency efforts was disrupted made by rescue teams, although there were several victims who were taken out from the rubble of buildings that collapsed, according to some reports said.

Local officials saying that the number of casualties could increase as other victims were still in the rubble.

Citing Iran’s health minister Marzieh Vahid Dastejerdi, state news agency IRNA reported that the government already dispatched 48 ambulances to areas worst hit by the calamity.