Iran steps up relief efforts for quake survivors

Aid agencies have stepped up relief efforts for survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed 37 people and injured 950 others in Bushehr Province in southwest Iran.
Water and food are being distributed among survivors and about 2,100 tents have been set up in the quake zone, emergency officials said.

Less than 24 hours after the quake happened rescue operations ended on Wednesday.

The relief operation covers more than 90 villages which were hit hard by the quake.

The quake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, hit at 4:22pm (1152 GMT) at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) near the town of Kaki on Tuesday. Aftershocks continued into Wednesday morning.

750 suffered minor injuries

According to ISNA new agency, six of the injured are in a critical condition.

Bushehr’s governor said 750 had suffered minor injuries. At least 700 homes had been destroyed in the quake, the governor said.

The first vice president, interior minister and health minister also visited the quake-hit region on Wednesday.

According to Al Jazeera, the quake was felt across the Persian Gulf in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, where workers were evacuated from high-rise buildings as a precaution.