One killed in southern Iran after 6.4-magnitude earthquake

TEHRAN: A person was killed by an electric post that fell due to an earthquake in the Iranian coastal city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday afternoon, state TV reported.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake happened at 15:37 p.m. local time (1207 GMT) at a latitude of 26.8 degrees north and a longitude of 55.9 degrees east, and at a depth of 18 km, according to the Iranian Seismological Center.

Less than two minutes later, an almost as intense 6.3-magnitude aftershock occurred at a latitude of 27.6 degrees north and a longitude of 56.1 degrees, at a depth of 15 km.

Many residents in the city of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan province, rushed out of their houses into the streets to escape from possible collapse of buildings, Iran's state TV reported.

The seisms were felt across the Hormozgan province, and also in some neighboring counties of Kerman province, east of Hormozgan, said an official spokesman.

Apart from the victim in Bandar Abbas, so far no other fatality has been announced, but electricity, telephone and internet services are off in some quake-affected rural areas.

Rescue teams are evaluating the damages.