5.8-magnitude quake hits Iran

Tehran, Jan 8 (IANS) An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Iran's Khorasan-e Razavi province near the border with Afghanistan on Wednesday, with no immediate report of casualties or damage. The tremor hit the town of Sangan, in Khaf county, at a shallow depth of 8 km at 7.59 a.m., Press TV reported. Hojjatali Shayanfar, director general of the provincial emergency department, said: "We have not received any reports of casualties, but a large area has been affected, which our survey teams are investigating." However, he added, there has been damage to livestock storage units because the quake-hit area is home to the nomadic population. Aid workers have been deployed to the affected region.
--IANS ksk/