Bolivia Sympathizes With Iran Quake Victims

Tehran, Aug 16, IRNA -- Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca in a message to his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi expressed regret over the occurrence of earthquake in northwest Iran. According to the Information and Press Bureau of Foreign Ministry, he condoled with the Iranian nation and government on the disaster. A couple of strong quakes, measuring 6.4 and 6.3 in magnitude, struck East Azarbaijan province on Saturday at 15:53 local time (1123 GMT), killing 300 and injuring 2,000 people. The quakes destroyed villages around the towns of Ahar, Varzaqan, and Herees near the provincial capital of Tabriz. Thousands of people were forced to remain outdoors as at least 20 aftershocks shook the area. The natural disaster has also inflicted an estimated four billion dollars in damage on the areas. Iran sits on several fault lines and is frequently hit by earthquakes./end