20 Schoolchildren Injured as Moderate Quake Shakes Sparsely Populated Southwestern Iran

Tuesday, November 20th 2007, 5:37 am

By: News On 6

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Some 20 children were injured as they tried to run out of a school building when a medium-sized earthquake shook a sparsely populated mountainous area of southwestern Iran on Tuesday, state media reported.

The 5.1-magnitude quake jolted the Qalehtal district, some 370 miles southwest of the capital, Tehran, around 9 a.m.

State radio said the children were injured in a stampede when they rushed out of their classrooms. It also said some buildings in the district were slightly damaged.

The report said the quake was felt in many cities and towns across the oil-rich southwestern province of Khuzestan. It said no deaths or damage were immediately reported.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. In March 2006, three earthquakes and nine aftershocks hit western Iran, in quick succession, killing at least 70 people and injuring about 1,200.