Earthquake strikes Iraq-Iran border
A 7.3-magnitude earthquake has rocked the mountainous border region straddling Iran and Iraq, killing hundreds and injuring thousands. Rescuers spent the night searching the rubble for survivors.
Buildings leveled
A 7.3-magnitude earthquake has wreaked destruction on a mountainous border region between Iran and Iraq, leveling buildings and killing hundreds. The town of Sarpol-e Zahab, in Iran's Kermanshah province, is said to be the hardest hit.
Chaotic scenes
Local residents have seen their homes destroyed and family members injured or killed. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the government and armed forces to mobilize "all their means" to help the affected population.
Searching for survivors
Rescue personnel from the Iranian Red Crescent have been searching the rubble for survivors. Government officials say the earthquake triggered landslides, which have cut off roads and hampered relief efforts in the mountainous region.
Rising death toll
Iranian and Iraqi officials have confirmed hundreds of deaths. The majority of those who lost their lives were in Iran's western Kermanshah province. Thousands more have been injured.
Keeping warm
Residents huddled around fires in Sarpol-e Zahab to keep warm. Night-time temperature lows in Kermanshah province are about 3 degrees celsius at this time of year.
Hospital damaged
The only hospital in Sarpol-e Zahab was badly hit by the earthquake. Iranian state TV says the army has set up field hospitals.
Rubble remaining
Apartment complexes rapidly collapsed in Sarpol-e Zahab, with some residents barely evacuating in time.
Forced to flee
Many survivors have been left without a home, relying now on support from aid organizations distributing tents, blankets, and food in areas hit by the quake. Damage was reported in at least eight villages, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent said.