Magnitude 5.9 earthquake jolts region of northwestern Iran

This picture has been used for representational purposes.

Tehran: Iran's state TV says a magnitude 5.9 earthquake has struck the northwest of the country. There are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The report says the quake hit at 2:20 a.m. Friday in Iran's East Azarbaijan province. It says the temblor occurred at a depth of two kilometers (1.2 miles). The U.S. Geological Survey puts the quake's magnitude at 5.8 at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).A magnitude 5 earthquake can cause considerable damage.

Iran is located on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.

More detailed are awaited.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates