420 Reported Dead in Iran Quake

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale struck near the town of Zarand in Kerman Province in Eastern Iran Tuesday morning, Feb. 22.

Some 420 people are reported to have died and another 900 injured. The area, some 740 kms (460 miles) from the capital, Tehran, is in the same region as the deadly earthquake that leveled the City of Bam in December 2003, killing more than 30,000 people.

Heavy rains and snow are reportedly hampering rescue efforts, as local authorities try to reach isolated villages in the stricken area. The death toll is expected to rise to as many as 500.