Quake strikes near Iran nuclear power plant

An earthquake struck Iran on Friday less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the country’s only nuclear power plant in the southwest, monitors said. There were no immediate reports of any damage.

The US Geological Survey said the 5.1 magnitude quake struck 44 kilometres (27 miles) southeast of Borazjan city and at a depth of 38 kilometres.

Its reported epicentre is 45 kilometres east of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

The Iranian Seismological Center said in a preliminary report on its website that the strength of the quake was 4.9 magnitude.

The quake jolted villages near Kalameh city, semi-official news agency ISNA said, adding there were no immediate reports of any damage.

“Based on assessments by the Red Crescent, and regional (authorities), we’re yet to hear of any damage,” it quoted the head of the province’s crisis centre, Jahangir Dehghani, as saying.

“We might have roads blocked in parts of the mountain due to the quake’s intensity,” he added.