Dozens hospitalized in 5.9-earthquake in Kermanshah

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – People from an Iranian Kurdish province poured on to the streets in fear of aftershocks from the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that occurred near one of their cities.

The quake took place at 4:42 p.m. with the center lying at 23 kilometers west of the city of Gilan-e Gharb in Kermanshah (Kermashan) province at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Tremors were felt as far away as major cities from the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad. 

Iranian media outlets report that the emergency hospitals of the affected cities are on standby to receive injured individuals while other medical units have been deployed to provide further aid to locals.

“So far, six people have visited Gelan-e Gharb hospital due to injuries,” Kurosh Mahmoudiyan, the city’s governor, told ISNA. “Their injuries were not serious.”

Head of Iran’s emergency organization, Dr. Pir-Hussein Kolyond, told ISNA that 75 individuals have visited medical centers in the three towns of Gilan-e Gharb, Qasr-e Shirin, and Sarpol-e Zahab.

The last major quake in Kermashan province took place on Nov. 25, claiming at least one life and injuring 761 others.

In August, another earthquake took place in Kermashan, resulting in the death and injury of over 200 people.

In late July, a quake with the same strength hit the province leaving over 150 casualties. Another 5.1 on the Richter scale in April injured at least 38 according to early reports.

The strongest in recent years was a 7.3 tremor in November 2017 that encompassed whole areas in the Kurdistan Region and Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhilat). According to reports then, the quake resulted in the death of 630, injury to over 8,100, and left tens of thousands homeless.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany