Magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolts Iran’s capital

Debris of collapsed buildings after a magnitude-5.9 earthquake struck near the border with Iran, in Ozpinar neighbourhood of Baskale district in eastern Van province of Turkey on February 23, 2020 [Necat Hazar / Anadolu Agency]

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 struck Iran early Friday, prompting some residents in the capital to evacuate their homes, Anadolu Agency reports.

The earthquake occurred at 00:48 a.m. local time (2118GMT) in Damavand district of Tehran at a depth of seven kilometers (4.34 miles), according to the Tehran University Seismological Center.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, where earthquakes occur often and are destructive.

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