Large quake strikes Iran
Updated
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Iran on Wednesday, west of Bandar Abbas and near the site of a major Iranian oil refinery.
An Interior Ministry official told Reuters news agency the epicentre was in Bandar-e Khamir, a port about 75 km west of Bandar Abbas, and might have damaged old parts of the area.
A provincial official says rescue teams are heading to the area, and there is the possibility of casualties and fatalities.
"All our rescue groups are on alert in Bandar Abbas and [nearby] Qeshm island," said Yasser Hazbavi, the head of the Hormuzgan province's disaster headquarters.
Fars News Agency, citing an Iranian official, says the quake measured 7.5 on the Richter scale, but the US Geological Survey and several other sources continue to say the quake measured just over 6.
Residents in the United Arab Emirates, across the Gulf from Iran, also report feeling a slight tremor.
