Strong quake on Iran-Iraq border kills hundreds, Turkey sends relief to Iraqi disaster areas
A strong 7.2-magnitude quake struck the northern Iraqi border region near Iran on the night of the 12th. According to reports, the quake has now killed hundreds of people in both Iraq and Iran, with serious injuries. After the earthquake, Turkey sent medical teams to Iraq and organized the delivery of relief supplies to the affected areas.
Iraq's Sulaymaniyah Province, 32 kilometers southwest of Halebjerg, local time on the night of 12 9:18 pm (Beijing time on the 13th at 2:18 pm) occurred 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the depth of the epicenter 33.9 kilometers.
The tremor was strongly felt in Iran's western border region. At least 14 provinces in Iran were affected by the quake, the semi-official Iranian Labor News Agency reported. Local media, citing Iranian officials, reported that the quake has now killed 129 people in the country and injured thousands more.
The quake caused severe damage to several towns and villages along the Iranian border. Rescue forces have gone to the most damaged areas, but the disruption of power supply triggered by the quake in the region has adversely affected the rescue work.
In Iraq, local officials said six people have died so far in Suleimaniyah province in the quake. The Joint Crisis Coordination Center of the Iraqi Kurdish Autonomous Regional Government tweeted that more than 500 people had been injured by the quake. Local hospitals in Sulaymaniyah are in urgent need of medical personnel, medical equipment and medicines to treat injured people.
Also according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry, no casualties have been found in the capital Baghdad, and only some houses were damaged in the quake.
The quake was also felt in parts of Turkey.
After the quake, Turkey sent medical teams to Iraq and organized the delivery of humanitarian relief supplies. According to Turkish media reports, the Turkish Red Star Monthly Meeting's medical team in Erbil, Iraq, is on its way to the disaster area. Turkish government officials said the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Agency and the Red Star and Moon Society are urgently preparing medicines, blankets, tents and other supplies to be shipped to the affected areas in Iraq.
Turkish Health Minister Ahmet Demirjan said the Turkish government is in contact with the affected areas in northern Iraq. The Turkish side is ready to provide assistance to Iraq at any time.