Shaking the ground beneath Iran's feet

AP/NY Times:

Three strong earthquakes and their aftershocks reduced entire villages to rubble in western Iran early Friday, killing at least 50 people and injuring hundreds, state media reported.

At least 13 tremors jolted the mountainous region throughout the night, state television reported, saying the first one had a preliminary magnitude of 5.1 and struck around 1 a.m. local time.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.7 magnitude quake shortly before 5 a.m. local time., followed by a 4.7 magnitude aftershock about 15 minutes later. The area had been hit by a 4.7-magnitude quake the day before, the USGS said.

The quakes were centered near Boroujerd and Doroud, two industrial cities about 210 miles southwest of Tehran, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Provincial official Ali Barani said about 200 villages were damaged, some flattened.

State-run television said 50 bodies had been pulled out of destroyed houses in Silakhor, a region north of Doroud. The broadcast said 850 people were injured.

...

The Islamic curse strikes back.

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