A powerful seismic event occurred near the Iran-Pakistan border on Tuesday, and some are expecting it may cause hundreds of deaths. At least 40 people are dead in Iran and seven more people in Pakistan, but those numbers are thought to be on the rise, according to multiple outlets. "It was the biggest earthquake in Iran in 40 years and we are expecting hundreds of dead," an Iranian government official told Reuters.
Iran's geological survey measured the quake to be a 7.5 magnitude, while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.8 with a depth of 15.2 kilometers. The quake was centered in a sparsely populated mountainous and desert area in Iran, but the quake was so strong it could be felt as far away as Peshawar, Pakistan, and Dubai. The closest cities to the quake's epicenter, Saravan and Khash, have a combined 400,000 people. The phone lines in some areas near where the quake struck have been cut.
Thankfully, there's no imminent nuclear danger because of this quake. Iranian state TV already reported that the Bushehr nuclear plant is far away from the seismic event and is not in danger. This is a breaking story; stay tuned for updates.
read more http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/04/iran-earthquake/64263/
Michael D. Shoesmith
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