Iran raises earthquake death toll to 306

Associated Press

TEHRAN — Iran has raised the death toll from Saturday’s twin earthquakes to 306, a day after rescuers called off the search for survivors.

Heath Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi told a session of parliament Monday that the number jumped by about 50 after victims expired in the hospital. More than 3,000 people were injured in the earthquakes.

Scores of aftershocks have coursed through Iran’s mountainous northeast since the 6.4 and 6.3 magnitude quakes hit the region, where some 300,000 people live near the borders with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. In 2003, some 26,000 people were killed by a 6.6 magnitude quake that flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

Follow Us

Recent Stories:

• Abu Sayyaf frees social worker
• Village chief, widow dead in ‘crime of passion’
• Public schools told not to collect any fees at start of classes
• Comelec cancels registrations of 5 partylist groups
• German Chancellor Merkel keeps No. 1 ranking; 15 newcomers to list
• Man arrested in QC for alleged possession of P2.5M of illegal drugs
• Emergency landing closes both Heathrow runways
• CA stops field testing of GMO eggplants
• NPA rebels free 2 militiamen in Surigao Sur
• 1 killed in Quezon City fire

Tags: Earthquake , Iran , News , world