A 5.7 magnitude earthquake near Iran’s border with Turkmenistan has killed two people, injured hundreds, and caused widespread damage.

The quake struck at 1800 GMT on May 13 in and around the city of Bojnurd, North Khorasan province, killing a 54-year-old woman and a teenage girl, ISNA news agency reported.

More than 370 people were injured and as many as 40 percent of houses in the area were left damaged, ISNA reported.

The epicentre was just 50 kilometers from the border with Turkmenistan.

Earthquakes are frequent in Iran, which is located on seismic faults.

In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake killed about 26,000 people and flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP