5.9-Magnitude Quake Hit Bushehr, Five Injured

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit the southern province of Bushehr on Sunday morning, injuring at least five people, knocking out power and causing critical damage to old buildings.
The epicenter of the earthquake was near Bandar Genaveh, a port city along the coast of Persian Gulf, IRNA reported.
The strong quake, which cut off phone lines, electricity and the internet, and set off a landslide, sent panicked residents rushing into the streets. No fatalities have been reported.
The tremors of the 10-km-deep quake was felt in three adjacent provinces, followed by at least 23 aftershocks, some with a magnitude of 4.5.
Gholamreza Hajioni, the head of the province’s Red Crescent Society, said five villages in the area had suffered the most damage, with people reporting cracked walls and broken furniture.
The organization has set up makeshift tents to temporarily accommodate those affected by the earthquake.
Bushehr’s Governor General Abdolkarim Geravand told reporters, “We’re still assessing the damage, but the earthquake has mostly harmed old buildings.”
Authorities at Bushehr’s nuclear power plant announced the facility had suffered no damage and operations had not been affected. The power plant was built to withstand earthquakes with magnitudes as high as eight.
Relief teams in the area and neighboring provinces are on standby in case another quake strikes.
As of Sunday afternoon, phone lines have been fixed in the region and power has been restored.