Publish Date: 2 September 2012 - 14:57

An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richer scale hit the city of Zohan Behesht in South Khorassan province, Eastern Iran, on Sunday.

According to a report by the seismological network of the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University, the quake hit the area at 05:20 hours local time (0050 GMT).

The epicenter of the quake was located in an area 59.9 degrees in longitude and 33.4 degrees in latitude.

Iran sits on several major faults and is prone to frequent earthquakes many of which have been devastating.

The worst quake in recent times hit Bam in southeastern Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people - about a quarter of its population - and destroying the city's ancient mud-built citadel.

Last month, two quakes in Northwestern Iran also claimed the lives of 306 people and injured more than 4500 others.

An earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted Ahar in East Azerbaijan province at 16:00 hours local time (1130GMT) on August 11. The epicenter of the quake was located in an area 46.8 degrees in longitude and 38.4 degrees in latitude.

Almost an hour later another quake with magnitude 6 on the Richter scale jolted Varzaqan at 17:04 hours local time (1234GMT) in the same province. The epicenter of the quake was located in an area 46.7 degrees in longitude and 38.4 degrees in latitude.
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