Iran revises quake toll down to 227 dead, 1,380 hurt
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Rescue teams in north-west Iran strived on Sunday to dig survivors out of the rubble of villages levelled by twin earthquakes that killed at least 180 people and injured more than 1,300, according to officials. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian residents rescue a woman in the rubble of a house in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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An Iranian medic attends to an injured woman as people gather outside a hospital in the town of Ahar, some 60km east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian residents and rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble of a house in a village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian residents spend the night outside their homes in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian medics treat a man who was injured in an earthquake in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian residents spend the night outside their homes in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian women mourn over the covered body of a relative in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranian residents and rescue workers search for the survivors in the rubble of a house in a village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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An Iranian man holds the body of his nephew after taking him out of the rubble in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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An Iranian family set a tent in a street in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
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Iranians who were injured in an earthquake receive medical treatment in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Rescue teams in north-west Iran strived on Sunday to dig survivors out of the rubble of villages levelled by twin earthquakes that killed at least 180 people and injured more than 1,300, according to officials. -- PHOTO: AFP
Iranian residents rescue a woman in the rubble of a house in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
An Iranian medic attends to an injured woman as people gather outside a hospital in the town of Ahar, some 60km east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Iranian residents and rescue workers search for survivors in the rubble of a house in a village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranian residents spend the night outside their homes in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranian medics treat a man who was injured in an earthquake in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranian residents spend the night outside their homes in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranian women mourn over the covered body of a relative in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranian residents and rescue workers search for the survivors in the rubble of a house in a village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
An Iranian man holds the body of his nephew after taking him out of the rubble in Sourmah village, near the town of Varzaqan, after twin earthquakes hit north-western Iran on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
An Iranian family set a tent in a street in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz, after a strong earthquake hit the town, on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
Iranians who were injured in an earthquake receive medical treatment in the town of Varzaqan some 60km north-east of Tabriz on Aug 11, 2012. --PHOTO: AFP
TEHERAN (AFP) - Iran on Sunday revised downwards a toll from twin earthquakes that hammered the north-west the day before, saying a total 227 people died and 1,380 were injured, state television reported.
Interior Minister Moustafa Mohammad-Najjar, who gave the tally, added that "search and rescue operations have ended and we are now working to ensure survivors' needs in terms of shelter and food." The new toll was down from a previous interior ministry count of 250 dead and 2,000 hurt given hours earlier.
Mr Mohammad-Najjar told the television that half of the 600 villages located in the disaster zone had been damaged or destroyed.
The quakes, which struck on Saturday within 11 minutes of each other, measured 6.4 and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, according to the US Geological Survey which monitors earthquakes worldwide. Their epicentres were close to the towns of Ahar and Varzeghan, about 60km from the city of Tabriz.
