New Report on Earthquake in Qazvin - 2002-06-23

Iranian government officials announced that a strong earthquake and its severe aftershocks in the northern and western regions of the country in the early hours of Saturday morning resulted in the death of at least 220 people. Previously, the death toll from the earthquake had been reported to be around 500. The earthquake's magnitude was reported to be 6.3 on the Richter scale, and its effects were felt in 8 central northern and western provinces as well as the capital. Nearly half of the earthquake victims were in the Bouin Zahra region, which is located in Qazvin province and was the epicenter of the quake. Forty years ago, a severe earthquake also devastated Bouin Zahra, killing thousands and destroying over 100 villages. According to initial reports, several villages in the Qazvin region have been completely destroyed. With the collapse of mud-brick houses, thousands of people in the area have become homeless. In the areas around the Caspian Sea, which are located on the earthquake fault line, earthquakes have become a common occurrence. Mohammad Khatami, the President of Iran, sent a message of condolence to the survivors of the incident and requested Abdulvahed Mousavi Lari, the Minister of Interior, to personally oversee the coordination of rescue and relief efforts in the region.