A large earthquake — the USGS puts it at a 7.8 on the Richter scale — has hit Iran 50 miles east of the city of Khash and near the Pakistani border.
Iranian state television reported that at least 40 people have been killed. Pakistani officials say at least five people have died.
Iran's Fars news agency reports that it's the biggest quake since a 7.7 in 1990. Fars notes that many houses in the area "are made of mud brick, which can easily crumble in a quake."
This map is from the USGS. The big red dot is the earthquake.
It is being felt across multiple countries.
It was felt in New Delhi, #India. #quake
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) April 16, 2013
Magnitude 8 earthquake strikes Iran; tremors felt in UAE, Oman and India. Gulf News
— Gulf News (@gulf_news) April 16, 2013
There are reports of secondary quakes.
The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System notes that the quake hit 10 miles below ground, and about 300,000 people are within 60 miles of the epicenter.
Here's a USGS map of the nearby towns, which felt tremors ranging from strong (yellow) to light (blue):
On April 10 a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit southwestern Iran, killing 35 and injuring about 800.
Here's a map giving a better idea of where Tuesday's earthquake occurred:
