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At least 7 killed, hundreds injured in Iranian earthquake

Updated: 2010-12-22 11:10

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At least seven people were killed in a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that jolted southeastern Iran on Monday, damaging buildings in outlying mountainous areas, the region's governor said.

"Seven people have been killed and hundreds have been injured. Hundreds of people are still trapped under the rubbles," said Esmail Najjar, governor of Iran's Kerman province, the center of the quake.

State television said at least three villages had been destroyed.

The United States Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 6.3.

The official IRNA news agency said nine aftershocks had hit since the main quake, including one of magnitude 5. Telephone lines had been cut.

Mohammad Javad Kamyab, an employee of Kerman province governor's office, told Reuters there were 30 villages in the quake-hit area.

"These villages are not heavily populated ...We are not expecting a high death toll and so far 25 people have been injured," he said.

Another local official said access to the damaged villages "was very difficult".

"Rescue teams have been dispatched to the earth quake-hit area ... and are communicating via walkie-talkies," Hossein Baqeri, head of Iran's National Crisis Management unit, told state television.

The Fars News Agency said the quake was also felt in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Question: 1. How many people were killed? 2. What magnitude was the earthquake according to the USGS? 3. What countries border Sistan-Baluchestan? Answers: 1. 7 2. 6.3 3. Afghanistan and Pakistan

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（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.