Death toll from earthquake in western Iran climbs to 440 — media
According to the agency, 7,100 people have suffered injuries.
Acting Commander of Iran's Army Ground Forces Brigadier General Kiumars Haidari said earlier that the country's authorities were ready to immediately send 145 helicopters to the quake-stricken areas in order to deliver humanitarian aid and transport the injured for medical care. According to the Iranian emergency agencies, the earthquake caused destruction in eight cities and 526 villages in the western province of Kermanshah.
A strong earthquake hit the Iran-Iraq border region late on Sunday. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center said that the region had initially been hit by two tremors with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.3. During the night, at least 20 aftershocks were recorded, with magnitudes of up to 4.9.