Iran earthquakes kill at least 180

Ruins of a houses are seen after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. / AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Hamed Nazari

Updated August 12, 2012, 12:16 AM ET

(AP) TEHRAN, Iran - Two strong earthquakes leveled villages and damaged homes in northwestern Iran on Saturday, killing at least 180 people and injuring more than 1,350 others, state TV reported. Thousands of people spent the night outdoors as aftershocks rattled the area.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that Saturday's first quake at 4:53 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.4 and struck 37 miles northeast of the city of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 kilometers. Its epicenter was a region between the towns of Ahar and Haris, about 200 miles northwest of the capital Tehran, according to Khalil Saei, local Crisis Committee chief, the TV report said.

The second quake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck 11 minutes later, the U.S.G.S. reported. Its epicenter was 29 miles northeast of Tabriz at a depth of 6.1 miles (9.8 kilometers).

The quakes hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province, the TV report said. At least six villages were totally leveled, and 60 others sustained damage ranging from 50 to 80 percent, it said.

At least 10 aftershocks jolted the same area and were felt in a wide region near the Caspian Sea, causing panic among the population.

Saei urged people in the quake region to stay outdoors and spend the night at parks and open spaces in anticipation of more aftershocks. Authorities feared the death toll could rise as rescuers were still trying to reach people trapped under rubble and had not yet reacher some more remote villages.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one earthquake every day on average, although the vast majority are so small they go unnoticed.

In 2003, some 26,000 people were killed by a magnitude 6.6 quake that flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

[amin-landa]

THANK YOU AMERICA . I APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT YOU LOOK AT THE IRAN'S PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US AND GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU

[stacey4u]

Should we celebrate the twin quakes as they celebrated the twin towers? We only need help those that would help us in our times of need. After all would they help anyone else but their own kind?

[takacrat]

If Iran would spend Money on themselves instead of trying to Kill people that isn't doing anything to them, Iran would be a Great Nation.

[jechaucer]

I just hope we (U.S.) don't give them a dime or offer any help!! I will be ashamed to be an American if we do.

[gregrre]

And you should be ashamed to be a Human Being if you don't!

[aviatrixx]

What a terrible thing to say! These are PEOPLE who need help! Just because our government doesn't approve of their government doesn't mean we shouldn't offer aid. I bet you call yourself a christian too, don't you? Disgusting.

[arkajun-2009]

Ahmadinejad will of course, blame the United States for this...but if the US had that kind of power, his as# would have been blown away a long time ago.

[Choons]

how about instead of spending billions on developing nuclear weapons, they use the money to make buildings safe so that minor earthquakes don't kill hundreds of people?

[Choons]

take your meds ZC

[takacrat]

Looks like that Iran has made it's first Nuke Test and it was so big that it took out a Village!

[newsjunkie_56]

So.....being blue collar and non-hebrew I get from both taka and zion that basically this is a dangerous world in which to live. Thank you both for pointing that out. I'd have never figured it out on my own. My question is this.....if a nuclear suitcase bomb is detonated by either side......jewish or palestinnian (sp?) does the damage change? I think not, but perhaps I am wrong. Maybe a hebrew suitcase bomb is holier than a palestinnian one. Maybe not. Does it matter? Death is death regardless of religion.

[formerlyluvnut]

It all helps!

[LCCLYDE]

The Mullahs are like Assad in Syria...murderers.I will not forget the people thinkink in 2009 they might get freedom only to have the Mullahs in their divine hypocrisy butcher and slaughter thousands.Their time is running out God Willing.

[LCCLYDE]

The Iranian people need our support....The Iranian government and the Mad Mullahs can GO TO HELL.

[jaimieandlis]

the Iranian People? Mutts such as yourself are as big a problem--if not bigger--than islam.

[newsjunkie_56]

Gottchya CLYDE....I happen to agree with you.....it isn't the PEOPLE of Iran who are at fault. It's the people in GOVERNMENT....if one wishes to call it that....who are to blame. The few oppress the many and it is the oppressors who must be held to blame.