An earthquake shook Iran’s capital early on May 8, killing at least two persons and injuring 23 others. Many residents fearful of aftershocks left their homes for the safety of the streets.
The U.S. Geological Survey said that the shallow 5.1 magnitude quake hit at 00:48 am local time near the city of Damavand, about 55 kilometers east of Tehran.
Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Twitter that the earthquake claimed the life of one person and injured seven others.
Jahanpour called on people to "keep calm" and to follow safety guidelines.
Mount Damavand, a volcano standing at more than 5,600 meters, is the highest peak in Iran.
Iran sits on top of major tectonic plates and experiences frequent seismic activity.
A 7.3-magnitude quake in the western province of Kermanshah killed 620 people in November 2017.
In 2003, a 6.6-magnitude quake destroyed the ancient mud-brick city of Bam in Iran’s southeast, killing at least 31,000 people.
Iran's deadliest quake was a 7.4-magnitude tremor in 1990 that killed 40,000 people, injured 300,000 others, and left half a million homeless in the country’s north.
